Life of Durian Farmers In The Era of "Chinese Traders (Lhong)": Stories of Orchard Owners in Si Khit Subdistrict, Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, From 1990 to 2020.

Abstract

This research aims to study the life experiences and perspectives of durian farmers in   Si Khit Subdistrict, Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province during the period of growth in durian cultivation and trade, with the arrival of Chinese Lhong. This study is a qualitative study, conducted through In-Depth Interviews with eight local farmers, and the narrative method, which focuses on studying people's lives through storytelling, emphasizes the experiences and perspectives of the storyteller. The study found that since the 1990s, Si Khit Subdistrict, Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, has been one of the southern regions where durian cultivation have expanded continuously. Due to the high price of durian and its demand in both domestic and international markets, especially in China, which is the world's largest durian purchasing market, local people have changed their orchard farming methods from growing coffee and various fruits to growing more durian. In the 2010s, the expansion of the role of Chinese Lhong (middlemen/export agents) in the Si Khit sub-district enabled local farmers to export their durian, generating more income for their families. This marked a prosperous period for the durian farming profession. In the early 2020s, durian farmers faced challenges due to the COVID-19 situation and the Chinese government's lockdown measures. However, the lives of durian farmers were not in crisis as they were still able to export their durian through the role of Chinese Lhong warehouse that came to buy durian in the area.