The research examined farmers{u2019} decision - making on crop cultivation in the Northeast of Thailand. The study includes five major objectives: to investigate why some farmers changed from corn/cassava cultivation to para - rubber plantation and some did not; to analyze farm househol d income, including, the cost and return from corn/cassava cash crops and para - rubber; to study farmers{u2019} willingness to continue corn/ cassava cash crop cultivation and para rubber plantation; to analyze reason s influencing farmers{u2019} decisions including socio - economic, biophysical, institutional and infrastructure characteristics on continuation of traditional cash crops and adopt ion of new cash crop plantation; and to give the recommendation to develop crop cultivation in the Northeast of Thailand . The r esearch was operat ed in one sub - district in Northeast of Thailand b ased on a survey questionnaire with total of 102 sampled hou sehold as important method to collect data . The research was emphasize d on quantitative and also qualitative technique was used . The research was a comparative study of farmers who continue growing traditional corn/cassava and shift to para - rubber cultivation. Findings of this research shows that three significant main factors influencing no shifting and shifting from corn and ca ssava cultivation to para rubber consist of household labor force size, average income from non - agricultural activity and income from crop which play as important role on farmers{u2019} decision - making on crop cultivation . Most of farmers of both farmer groups a re willing to continue growing current cultivated crops. The most important reasons dominated farmers{u2019} willingness to continue growing these crops include high price , availability of market for product, suitable land, high benefit, adequate land, to have high experience, adequate household labor , policy support for price and eas y access to credit respectively, while there are a little farmers who are unwilling to continue growing current cultivated crops. The reasons play as important roles for far mers{u2019} unwillingness include high cost of production, low benefit, h ighly indebted , no adequate land, unsuitable land, low soil fertility and unavailability of irrigation water respectively. Recommendations were given to suggest involved officers for implem entation to promote stability and capability on farmers{u2019} crop cultivation and to provide effective strategies for farmers {u2019}cropcultivation.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Regional and Rural Development Planning

Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2013