| Author | Godilano, Esteban Celeste |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-89-01 |
| Subject(s) | Natural resources--Remote sensing
|
| Note | A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree on Master of Science, School of Environment, Resource and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. NR-89-01 |
| Abstract | The study area is located in the Central Plain of Thailand
which is about 80 km from Bangkok. The most important resource of
the province is its deepwater rice areas which total 166,238 ha.,
representing 21 percent of the total deep water rice growing
areas of Thailand. The drawback of increasing yield in this
ecosystems is the damage caused by floods during the wet season.
The Dikes and Ditches Project which aims to offset this annual
inundation and provide water for the second rice crop, had by
1986 covered about 350,691 ha. with irrigation and drainage
canals in at least eight provinces including Ayutthaya. This
infrastructure had considerably altered the hydrology of the
region deepwater rice environment.
Existing Land use and Landcover map of the province broadly
classified such areas as irrigated, uniformly suitable for double
rice cropping. LANDSAT TM imagery taken during the wet and dry
season of 1988 and 1989 clearly showed variation in water
regimes, indicating double cropping was not practical over the
entire command area.
Using the image processing and GIS capabilities of ERDAS,
plus other ancillary data, various thematic maps were produced.
Results of the GIS analysis were maps of: updated Land use and
Landcover; Planning; and Suitability for Rice and Upland Crops. A
Cropping Intensity map indicates suitable areas for Rice-Rice,
Rice-Upland crops patterns and areas where Rice alone can be
grown.
With these findings, rice growing in the Central Plain of
Thailand, particularly deepwater rice, is on the brink of rapid
change. A new form of cultivation in which the environment is
remodeled to suit rice growing will be superimposed on the traditional
rice cultivation, particularly where variations in water
regimes occur. An alternative resource plan for the deepwater
rice is being proposed, focused towards "environmentally benign"
farming methods.
Aside from rice, the province has other important resources
which play a major role to its economy and that of the whole
Kingdom. Running downstream to Metropolis Bangkok is the Chao
Phraya River systems, which is being polluted. The Ancient City
of Ayutthaya is an important tourist attraction but being exposed
to "architectural pollution", (building modern edifice near
them). The brick making industry is coming into conflict with
crop intensification in the use of human and land resources.
A proposed resource management planning structure is presented
in view of streamlining government resource monitoring,
planning and implementation. This starts "downstream" at the
village level and stop "upstream" at the national level. |
| Year | 1989 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. NR-89-01 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Lukens, J.E.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Apisit Eiumnoh;Webster, Douglas R.; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Asian Deve lopment Bank;Japanese Government; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1989 |
