Book

Thai rural women and agricultural change: approaches and a case study

Women's Studies Programme, Chulalongkorn University, Social Research InstituteBangkok • Published In 1987 • Pages: iiA, 75

By: Napat Sirisambhand, Gordon, Alec.

Abstract
This is both a general and case study of women's roles and status in Thailand. The authors briefly examine the myth of traditional women's equality, the sexist ideology of Thai Theravada Buddhism, sexist proverbs and language use, historical legal accounts on women's status, division of labor, and rights to land. Historically, because of the heavy corvee on men's labor, women have always worked in the fields; and because of plentiful land, women have inherited land. However, since the 1950s, increasing population density, land scarcity, commercialization of agriculture, and non-farm wage labor, have influenced a widening gap in rural incomes and the authors find that women's roles and status varies most across income classes. Women in poorer households continue to work in the fields and control the family budget, whereas better-off women have retired into the home, enjoy more leisure time, and have adopted an attitude of weakness with respect to men. The appendix includes a breakdown of major work activities by task and gender.
Subjects
Real property
Production and supply
Income and demand
Division of labor by gender
Gender status
Household
Theological systems
culture
Central Thai
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
Asia
Sub Region
Southeast Asia
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Sociologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 1998
Field Date
1985-1986
Coverage Date
1930-1987
Coverage Place
Pak Chong District, Thailand
Notes
Napat Sirisambhand, Alec Gordon
Includes bibliographical references (p. 72-75)
LCSH
Thais