From ”OTOP” to ”OSOP” : Empowering the slum through rural development

Abstract:

Urbanization is nourishing the urban poverty. Half of the World’s population is urban citizens and the number is increasing. Solutions to challenges can come from new ideas as well as previous tools. This study investigates the feasibility of applying a rural development program, One Tambon One Product (OTOP), and developed into a slum development strategy. By choosing the Klong Toey slum in central Bangkok, Thailand, the study contextualizes the demographic characteristics, values and realities into a theoretically applied study.

The focal aim of the study is to increase the understanding of a bottom-up approach of socio-economical development. By formalizing the informal occupations and by highlighting alternative incomes for slum dwellers to integrate in participatory decision making and influence their own path of development increase the socio-economical conditions. The study identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the OTOP project and systematically follow these variables into slum settings. Based on theoretical framework of participatory development and empowerment, the study discusses local contexts and Thai cultural characteristics followed by modifications of the original ideas from OTOP into a so called One Slum One Product (OSOP) project.