On Another People's Land

Between August and September, CASE began a new project on the behalf of CODI (Community Organisations Development Institute) http://www.codi.or.th/ . CODI has, among its other activities, been implementing the large scale บ้านมั่นคง (Baan Mankong- 'secure housing' in Thai) projects across Thailand for the last 4 years. The Baan Mankong projects are an innovative programme of urban upgrading projects which place Thailand's urban poor at the centre of a process of developing long term, comprehensive solutions to their cities' land and housing problems.

CASE studio has been working with CODI (and its previous incarnation UCDO) since 1996 and has been highly involved in the development of the Baan Mankong programme. The success of CASE studio’s 1997 Akarn Songkroa project, for community led upgrading in Ayutthaya contributed to the original drafting of the Baan Mankong Project. CASE was then asked by CODI to undertake the largest and most ambitious of 10 pilot projects for Baan Mankong in Kaoseng, Songkla. CASE has subsequently facilitated 8 other Baan Mankong projects across Thailand.

CODI has now asked CASE to undertake a pilot project for the development of บ้านมั่นคงชนบท (Baan Mankong Chonabot) a version of the Baan Mankong project specifically tailored to rural areas.

A team of four of CASE studio’s architects and a film maker have proposed to visit 7 of the communities participating in the Baan Mankong Chonabot programme to document their situations, problems and the solutions which are emerging. This broad understanding will then be the background to a specific pilot project where the CASE team will work with one of the communities on the issues identified.

The project has been titled บนแผ่นดินของคนอื่น (bon phean din khawng khon euhn - 'on another people's land' in Thai) the title has a double meaning reflecting both the situation of the communities who live upon land legally owned by another and our own situation as outsiders attempting to enter and work with a community which is not our own.

The Sites:

1. อัมพวา (Amphawa, Samut Songkhram)
2. วังสมบุรณ์ (Wang Sombun, Sa Kaeo)
3. วังน้ำเขียว (Wang Naam Khio, Nakhon Ratchasima)
4. บ้านแฮด (Baan Haet, Khon Kaen)

5. นาน้อย (Naa Noi, Nan)

6. บ้านแม่ละนา (Baan Mae La Naa, Mae Hong Sorn)
7. ปิล๊อก (Pilok, Kanchanaburi)