The main objective of this research was to establish a prescriptive model forfuture resettlement design. The assessment methodology contains bivariate andmultivariate analyses that include at least two groups of crosssectional data

beforeand after resettlement. This data was obtained from household surveys of experimentalgroups at the Sirindhorn, Khao Laem, Bang Lang, and Rajjaprabha resettlements. Somevillages located near to the resettlement projects were surveyed as control groupsfor comparison purposes. Results of the assessment and comparisons showed that: 1) there are twoprincipal types of resettlement policies operating in Thailand, namely a policy underthe revised Land Settlement Act 1968 for organizing self-help land settlement, and apolicy declared under the project-by-project Cabinet Resolution

2) two types ofresettlement design - field-crop based and tree-crop based - - have been in operationfor resettlement development

3) all case study projects showed they were capable ofhandling the resuttlement schemes although existing guidelines for standard compensationand resettlement are not considered adequate

4) two major indicators could identifythe success of the re-establishment of economic and social systems: the resettlers'income and living standards at the outcome stage

5) a project environmental impactassessment study, and separate environmental and socioeconomic studies for theresettlement scheme component are necessary to include at least baselinesocioeconomic and property survey information of the affected people, and a soilsuitability study of the proposed new farmland

6) the lives of project resettlersafter resettlement in tree-crop based resettlement projects are relatively betterthan for those new communities in field-crop based schemes due to the low risk tofarm income earnings

7) the per household income of the resettler groups isrelatively higher than the income of control groups due to the positive effects ofproject intervention that provided a number of special economic and socialrehabilitation programs to the project resettlers

and 8) the resettlers' income andliving standards are no doubt significantly affected by the resettlement design. The household income of resettlers is an important dimension of the success ofthe re-establishment of the economic system of the new land settlement. Results ofthe analysis of variance and the multiple classification analysis indicated that thesituation of households in the resettlement project, and households not in theresettlement project, are highly concerned with the level of household income. Theformer have significantly higher income than the latter. This is an absolute theeffect of project intervention. Results of the two multivariate analyses indicated that: 1) factors thatsignificantly determine per capita income of resettled households are the age and thetechnical skill of the household head at the time of relocation

the size and thequality of farmland allotted, and the occupational training and extension programs

2) factors that were found to significantly determine resettlers' living standardswere: the age and the religion of the household head, the cash compensation for lostand damaged properties, the assistance during relocation, the size and the quality ofthe soil on the new farmland, the allowance during the nonproductive period, theoccupational training and extension programs, the marketing assistance, the waterworks supply systems, the news reception, and finally the outcome conditionsincluding the per capita income and the value of household properties and theopportunity for leisure time after resettlement. If the overall concept for compensation and resettlement is to improve thewelfare of people in the country, it follows that people who are affected by theproject development should receive the project benefits and/or mitigate measures insuch a way that they will at least regain or improve on their previous welfare: Thiscentral concept should be contained in the principles of the national resettlementpolicy, first established in 1963, and not revised since then. Other beneficialdirectives included in the operational directives are: 1) minimization of land acquisition

2) methods in compensation (by using the replacement cost approach) and that theprogram of relocation and rehabilitation applies to directly and indirectly affectedpeople

and 3) the replacement community is to be provided with better infrastructureand facilities. The following components should be incorporated in the resettlement process: 1) Separate environmental assessment of the resettlement project and a morecomprehensive socio-economic baseline survey to include an inventory of affectedpersons assets and property

2) A comprehensive compensation and relocation plan that clearly states therationale and methods to be employed in the project land acquisition and compensationaspects

3) Specific economic and social rehabilitation programs for the projectaffected people to ensure that at least their former welfare is maintained

4) Clear guidelines to encourage people to participate in the project'sdevelopment

5) Periodic monitoring and evaluation programs of the resettlement projects

6) Adequate provision of managerial resources particularly for finance andbudgetary assistance, time and manpower resources for implementing the above projectresettlement development activities

and finally 7) Organizing of project funds so that there is long term rehabilitationsupport provided from project profits. The aspects of compensation for opportunity loss and the behavior of thehousehold in fertility, migration and investment for human capital and for economicactivities after resettlement are recommended for further studies.