No abstract

The establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is a major milestone for Southeast Asia. This establishment offers enormous opportunities, in terms of regional labour markets and economic integration of a market with a large value of about US$2.6 trillion and over 622 million people. This research aims to study the characteristics of the "smart farmers" in the upper northern provinces of Thailand and to analyse their perceptions towards the AEC. The study's primary data were randomly collected from 400 questionnaires given out in nine provinces. The main research method was the logit model with maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) that was theoretically applied. The results revealed that most responders were male (89%), 51-60 years old (62%), with a Grade 4 elementary school level (58%). The percentage of the sample who owned less than ten rai (approximately 40 acres) and earned 100,001-250,000 Thai baht as income per year was 46% and 30%, respectively. The study found that the factors of their participation in seminars about agriculture and their knowledge enquiry had influenced their perceptions and awareness of the AEC (with a 95% reliability score). Furthermore, their follow-up of marketing news was positively related to the potential of their perceptions and awareness of the AEC (with a 99% reliability score). The forecasting accuracy formula was more accurate than 88%. This research suggested that knowledge about the AEC should be distributed, especially to the agricultural village leaders and farmers, through the media of wire broadcasting and knowledge-sharing meetings in each village. Moreover, development of innovations to help enhance their knowledge about the AEC should be increased.