เขตเศรษฐกิจพิเศษปาดังเบซาร์ : ผลกระทบ ปัญหา อุปสรรค และแนวทางการพัฒนา

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to 1) investigate effects of the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone; 2) to compare the effects of the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone classified according to personal factors; 3) to study the problems and obstacles of the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone; and 4) to investigate the guidelines for the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone. This explanatory sequential mixed method research consisted of two phases. The first phase was collection of quantitative data. Then the results of the first phase were used as a source from which problems and informants were selected for further investigation in the second phase which was qualitative. The quantitative data were collected from 374 households consisting of 181 households of border entrepreneurs and 193 general households. The questionnaire respondents of these two groups had to have only one group of specific characteristics to prevent data duplication. Qualitative data were collected from representatives of the Sub-committee on Integrated Administration and Special Economic Zone Development of Songkhla consisting of three representatives of state organizations, two from the private sector, and two from the people sector. The quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA. For qualitative data analysis, meanings of data and words were grouped for interpretation and conclusion. The study found that effects of the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone on all aspects were at a moderate level of 3.03, and when considered in detail, the effects of the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone on infrastructure was highest at the average of 3.26, followed by administration (3.03), social aspect (2.97), and the lowest mean was 2.95 for economics and for natural resources and the environment. When compared between personal factors and the effects of the development of the Special Economic Zone, it was found that respondents with different levels of education and incomes were significantly different at .05 in their opinions on the effects of the development of the Special Economic Zone. Regarding problems and obstacles as a result of the development of the Special Economic Zone, it was found that infrastructure was slow and non-standard; economic change had not been seen clearly, socially, foreign labor was still a problem; more problems related to natural resources and the environment were found; and administratively, people were found to be affected by the state operations and activities but had no participation in activities of the development of the Special Economic Zone. The respondents recommended guidelines for the development of Padang Besar Special Economic Zone as follows. Investment promotion privileges suitable for should be provided; budget should be allocated to the local area; and participation in all aspects by the private and people sectors should be promoted, especially in the planning and establishing the special economic zone taking into consideration the community's way of life and the environment.