Abstract
Two contradictory images strike the traveler in northern Thailand. First is the lush, forested mountains rising beyond expanses of rice paddy land and small farming villages. Second is the spotty appearance of the mountains, denuded of primary growth in large areas and filled instead with economic crops such as cabbages or corn. Both images are set against the backdrop of congested cities, particularly Bangkok and Chiang Mai (the largest city in the north), through which all travelers pass before seeing rural areas. The contrasts inherent in these scenes point to a major tension in Thailand between the push to develop economically and efforts to conserve and protect the nation’s natural resources.
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Darlington, S.M. (2003). The Spirit(S) of Conservation in Buddhist Thailand. In: Selin, H. (eds) Nature Across Cultures. Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-0149-5_7
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