การเปลี่ยนแปลงที่อยู่อาศัยบนเกาะเกร็ด จังหวัดนนทบุรี / กนกพร วิวัฒนาการ = Changes of housing on Koh-Kret Island, Nonthaburi province / Kanokporn Wiwattanakarn
To study the changes of housing on Koh Kret which is a district in Nonthaburi Province. The island covers 4.544 square kilometers or 2,840 rais. The number of population is 6,063. They live in 7 villages that are governed by the Management Authority Organization of Koh Kret. Most of the people work for wages and some do agricultural work in orchards producing durians, pomelos or vegetable gardens. The peguans are a minority living in Moo (village) 1, 6 and 7. Poramai-yikavas temple is the local center of both the peguans and the Thais. In the years 1987 and 1990 until 1992, industrial parks were set up in the communities surrounding Koh Kret, in Pak Kret, Tha It and Bang Bua Thong. As a result, those areas became densely populated and some of the residents in the areas moved to settle on Koh Kret. Also, from 1997 to 1999, generated by the policy supporting tourism, Koh Kret was selected as a tourist destination in the province. Outstanding handicrafts such as pottery which are a unique characteristic of the Peguan ethnic minority on the island. The resulting changes in housing on Koh Kret can be seen in terms of quantity, that is more housing units were constructed. However, this was considered a small proportion when compared with changes in housing in terms of usage; for example, changing from a residence to a shop, a restaurant, a souvenir shop or a rental shop for commercial purposes. The changes were especially found in Moo 1, 6 and 7 where the utilities, facilities and transportation facilities were better than in Moo 2, 3, 4 and 5. However, the scope of change was limited by certain factors; for example, the fact that it was still an island, the inconvenient transportation and unsuitable soil for construction. Moreover, there were various acts in an attempt to controll the area such as, the Building Control Act 1979, the Urban Planning Act, the Navigation in Thai Water Ways Act 1913. Local people were also willing to preserve their traditions and culture. These factors helped Koh Kret maintain its traditional character. Changes of housing on Koh Kret tended to focus on the change in usage, rather than quantity. The lifestyle, as well as some cultural aspects and traditions would also become more commercially oriented. However, the island can be seen to possess the quality of a rural community because of its unity and its various limitations, that impede rapid development. To develop and improve the housing and surroundings to suit the Koh Kret community, suggestions have been made as follows. First the community should maintain the original state of the community by arranging commercial units in terms of styles and hygiene in order to avoid disturbance and intrusion to the current comunity. It should also promote understanding of laws by giving information, especially to people in Moo 1, 6 and 7 as well as campaigns and to develop agricultural based tourism and other policies issued by government organizations in Moo 1 to Moo 5. Moreover, such utilities and facilities such as a sewage disposal system, a drainage system, a waste disposal system, transportation on the island, fire protection, public phones and security should be improved. Finally, a project aimed at distributing information and achieving greater understanding concerning the laws should be established to promote underatang in terms or government development projects in the future
