Insights from six case studies in the Mekong countries - 2.1. Social identities and unequal vulnerabilities in the structural transition to community-based flood risk governance in the Yom River Basin (Thailand)

In response to the urgency of sustainability and climate change, the Lower Yom watershed in Thailand is the site of a pilot project in floodwater detention. This has been claimed as a "participatory management" approach that develops drainage systems, micro-scale structural mitigation, and livelihood changes under community-based adaptation to flooding. This study adopted a participatory research approach to explore how different social groups experience vulnerability, as well as the changes brought about by the pilot project. This research develops a micro-level, social identity based analysis of experiences in the pilot model. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 38 organizational representatives and 44 individuals from urban and rural communities to capture the strengths of, and barriers to, adaptation to flooding. Participatory action research workshops at the local level, focusing on interpersonal learning, were also employed to motivate subgroups to discuss their vulnerabilities in the context of flooding and how to stabilize adaptation measures. The results show that community policy drafts were able to articulate approaches to help vulnerable groups by improving flood protection, drainage capacity for water security, flood retention conditions, and livelihood alternatives. However, a key sentiment that "flooding is acceptable, but no flooding is better" confirmed a reluctance among rural farmers, workers, the elderly, and physically exposed citizens to live with floods. From this analysis, it can be interpreted that genuine participation to support flood risk governance from the local level requires substantial effort. Engaging stakeholders beyond governments to create a more effective power balance may support the revision of existing measures and initiate a means of improving practices for community-based flood adaptation.