A Story and a Belief in Spirit of Phoo (Grandpa) Loop : An Access to Resources of Fishermen at the Ubon Rattana Dam, Khon Kaen, Thailand

Abstract

The purposes of the article were twofold. 1. To bring a belief in spirit to gain an access to resources. 2. To propose a working model of and adapting method for utilizing resources of fishermen at the Ubon Rattana Dam. The documentary and field data were collected using participant observations and in-depth interviews. The theory of access was used to analyze the data. The research results were as follows: The access to resources of the fishermen at the Ubon Rattana Dam, shown in Fig 1. was based on a belief in the spirit of Phoo Loop shown in Fig 2. The spirit was held highly as a local hero among the ethnic Thai-Lao people. The belief was used as a thinking basis for making a dynamic and strategic access to resources. Spirit houses of Phoo Loop, as a symbolic negotiator, were built near the Dam. The houses also signified power over the land and ideological negotiation using folk songs narrating how respectful Phoo Loop, a local power, was. Rum ours due to various accidents occurred in the area were also used to scare people as well as put more confidence in the spirit and practically gain an access to resources of the fishermen.