A Study of Suburban Community: A Case Study of Wat Chong Lom Community, Phookhaothong Sub-district, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Province

Abstract

The research aims to study on sociology attributes of a suburban community by choosing Wat Chong Lom Community, Phookhaothong Sub-district, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya, as a unit of study. The attributes are include history, occupation and culture. The study also leads to do understand the sociological attributes of the community under the urbanization process. The result finds that Wat Chong Lom Community was a suburban zone of Phranakhon si Ayutthaya. It consists of 2 member groups; Buddhists and Muslims, as a half by half. The Muslims believe that their ancestor was Muslim Persian, called “Khak Thead” whom had migrated since Ayutthaya Period. They had lived and traded on a raft in Ayutthaya. Nevertheless, Wat Chong Lom Community has become a concrete community that there are both Muslims and Buddhists living together since King Rama V. The growth of Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya City has expanded to its suburban zone for a long time, in particular since 1987. Roads and facilities have approached the zones, including Wat Chong Lom Community. As a result of an industrial development and city’s growth, rice farmers had gradually gone from Wat Chong Lom Community. Meanwhile their residents has turned to other careers such as an industrial employee, self-employed, merchant, and craftsman, some outlanders have arrived to invest on a rice farm business. However, some folkways still exist in the community including a backyard garden, grabbing some edibles around the community, close relationship within neighborhood, and local rituals. Thus, the community is combined with both rural and urban characters. It is such of a suburb community type that has been changing to be urbanization soon.