Citizens Against Pollution: Stories and Lessons Learned from 6 Communities Affected by Industrial Pollution in Thailand
Published by EARTH | July 2023
Author: Punyathorn Jeungsmarn
Editor (Thai Language version): Sukran Rojanapaiwong
This book presents six battlefields of pollution in Thailand. They include Nam Phong district, Khon Kaen province; Nampu subdistrict, Muang district, Ratchaburi province; Nong Phawa village, Bang But subdistrict, Ban Khai district, Rayong province; Phanom Sarakham district,
In all these zones of expulsion, we see resistance from locals. Among such resistance we find the growth of “citizen science”. This is an outgrowth of the trend of democratization of science, which began in the 1970s and was then extended by globalization. In the context of industrial pollution in Thailand, citizen science is the increasing capacity of local communities collecting scientific information, monitoring the environment, and presenting that information to the public, news media, academics, and the courts. The underlying philosophy is that knowledge is power. Hence, by giving locals greater access to scientific knowledge, one decentralizes power from government agencies, academics, and private companies.
The aim of this book is to explore the implementation of citizen science in communities harmed by industrial pollution, through the experiences of communities that are affected. It also aims to reflect the human dimension of the problem and to make clear the impact industrial pollution can have on a person’s life, as well as the human effort to overcome those problems.
