Lifestyle and activities of suburban people

LIFESTYLE AND ACTIVITIES OF SUBURBAN PEOPLE
Prapaporn Supunya

Assoc. Prof. Dr Dusadee Ayuwat

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Abstract
This paper investigates lifestyle and activities of suburban people in Khon Kaen
city. Qualitative methodological approach was implemented in the study with in-depth
interview and non-participatory observation, which were used as research instrument. Key
informants included seven labour-aged people who lived in Khon Kaen suburban village.
Data analysis was done by the content analysis method. Research results found lifestyle
and activites of suburban people including 1) suburban people who have a good living;
they had high income, and they had many activities to do such as shopping and travelling.
2) Suburban people who have a moderate living; they had middle income. Activities they
did adhered to religious practices, and they preferred to stay at home for relaxing, and
went to shopping sometimes. 3) Suburban people who have a difficult living; they had low
education and low income. Their activities related to survival practices such as collecting
natural resource for livings.
Keywords: Activities, lifestyle, suburban people
1. Introduction
Thailand is agriculture-based country. Mode of production of the country primarily
based on subsistence mode in which most products have made for household consumption
(Pothisita, 2012). Natural resources has used as a main source of household production,
and production yield is exchanged with other households when production yield is over
supplied. In the past, most Thai households were poor, and they lived in the countryside.
Many Thai households has been living as the extended households in which several
households have lived together at the same area. They help each other to conduct
household production, and they exchange their labour forces with neighbors. Therefore, it
is to say that relationship within community is based on kinship system which link people
together (Yothakong, 2011).

Decades ago, Thailand launched the National Economic and Social Development
Plan as a guideline for the development of the country. The plan has implemented since the
first issue (1961-1966) to the twelfth issue (2017-2021). The plans have focused on
development of economic, transportation, and infrastructure of the country. This becomes
a turning point of Thailand. Production mode of the country has changed from agriculture-

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based production to industrialization-based production in order to meet the capitalism,
which has been global trend of economic development. Moreover, the change has resulted
in the city growth and migration phenomenon from rural areas to urban areas (Palen,
1987). The changes have occurred rapidly, and it has affected development on economy,
society, politics, and technology. Rate of development in industrial and service sectors has
been increasing, and urban area of the city has expanded (Leoprapai, 1998). It was found
that rate of urbanization growth in Thailand has increased from 20 percent in 1960 to 55
percent in 2017 (World Urbanization Prospect, 2014)
The expansion of urban areas has led the fragmentation of people in urban areas to
suburban areas, where socio-cultural context is still presented as rural lifestyle (Guest,
1998). In Thailand, suburb area often refers to the Sub-district where located next to
boundary of city downtown. Due to city expansion, those sub-districts are full of wellprepared infrastructure as same as in urban area. Although city expansion provides several
types of development to suburban areas, it resulted in the decreasing of natural resources,
and lifestyle of people in suburban areas has changed into urban lifestyle. Such
development encourages suburban people to move into urban areas in order to seek for
better opportunities in life so that lifestyle of suburban people has changed into urban
lifestyle (Sawaengdee et al., 2007). Moreover, the development causes of capital
accumulation. Lifestyle of people is more convenient. People have more chances to choose
which lifestyles are suitable for them in accordance with the Capitalism (Bourdieu, 1984).
Those lifestyles, thus, are based on everyday life and activities of suburban people which
are different from in the past.

This paper has set a research question on how lifestyle and activities of suburban
people has changed, while research objective is to investigate lifestyle and activities of
suburban people who work in urban area. Scope of the research focuses on two issues
which are lifestyle and activities of suburban people who work in urban area in order to
understand lifestyle and activities of suburban people in a context of Globalization.
2. Method
This research focused on lifestyle and activities of suburban people. Qualitative
methodological approach was applied to the research. Unit of analysis was individual. Key
informants were divided into two groups included 1) village stakeholders included village
headman, village health volunteer, sub-district healthcare officer, community development
officer, plan and policy analyst, and community seniors. This group of key informant were
interviewed to collect data about village background. Another group were ten suburban
people in Khon Kaen city. In-depth interview was applied to collect data from those
suburban people with inclusion criteria included 1) key informants were aged between 1859 years old, 2) key informants worked in Khon Kaen urban area, and they lived in
suburban area where located within 20 kilometres away from the city, 3) key informants
have lived in suburban area at least 1 year. Those key informants were interviewed to
collect data about lifestyle and activities of suburban people. In-depth interview and nonparticipatory observation were applied to the research as research instrument. Research

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area was ―Ban Sai Ngarm‖ village (pseudonym), where located in Khon Kaen suburban
area. Data collecting period was during in January to March 2018, and content analysis
method was used to analyse data.
3. Results
Research results were presented as several parts included village background,
lifestyle of suburban people, and activities of suburban people. Each parts were presented
as following details.
3.1 Village background
A village named ―Sai Ngarm‖ (pseudonym) is a suburban village located in the

Southwest of Khon Kaen city. The village is 18 Kilometers away from Khon Kaen urban
area with 1,559 of village population. The village locates near a natural creek named
―Kaeng Nam Ton‖, and the village is also rich of other natural resources such as forest and
soil. The village settles on the flat plain area, and soil surface is sandy loam, which is
suitable for cultivation.
People in the village like to settle up their houses at center of the village, while their
agricultural lands mostly are out of the village. Villagers in Sai Ngarm village lived with
simple lifestyle. They grew vegetables and fed up animals for household consumption.
However, over a past decade, the village had been changing due to modernity which
invaded in every single area of the rural village. The village was influenced by urban
society. For instance, people in the village built their houses as the two-storey concrete
house instead of one-storey wood house, or someone dressed up in urban style. The village
then was full of combination style between rural style and urban style. Although the village
was getting closer to urban lifestyle, the villagers still tied with kinship system and
traditional lifestyle.
Main occupation of the village was agriculture. Many of villagers did rice farming,
while someone were working as contracted labours. Some villagers also worked in service
sector at urban area of Khon Kaen city, for instance, laundry service, housekeeping task,
etc, and some worked in the industrial factory, where located not far from the village.
Government jobs such as teacher, deputy officer, nurse, or public health officer also found
in the village. Those jobs reflected that people in the village set priority to education, and it
resulted in achievement on government jobs in some households. In addition, SMEs were
found as well. Some households had big grocery shops or small grocery shops in the
village, while some had own construction shop, mobile shop, or agro-trading shop.
Socio-cultural of the village still based on religious practices. Most villagers
especially seniors always participated in traditional practices such as making merit at
temple, or attending traditional events named ―Boon Hee Sib Song Klong Sin See‖. There
was a big temple located in the village. The temple was considered as a place for
assembling people. Most of the events set up at the temple, and it allowed people to keep
relationships each other. Infrastructure of the village also was provided to villagers. There

were child development center and the opportunity expansion school in the village.

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Regarding healthcare service, the Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital set up at center
of the village. However, suburban people lacked of chance to access some services by the
Sub-district Health Promotion Hospital because they had to work in urban area during
daytime. In addition, there were some occupation group presented in the village such as the
handcrafting group.
3.2 Lifestyle in suburban area
In the past, Sai Ngarm village was a rural village that people used their simple
lifestyle, and their livings relied on agriculture. Kinship system ran relationships among
the villagers. When urbanism came to the village, people from outside village had moved
to settle the residence at the village. This caused the village was integrated by traditional
lifestyle and modern lifestyle. Infrastructure of the village such as water supply, electricity,
and transportation system was developed. Villagers were able to travel to the city easier by
private car or public buses. The villagers likely to do business in urban area. For example,
shopping at the market or convenient store, or medical treatment at the provincial hospital.
Moreover, urbanization caused differences on land use change in the village. There were
more grocery shops in the village, and the community market was available for the
villagers who want to buy or sell agricultural products.
―Sai Ngarm village‖ is a village located close to urban area, so the village took the
culture of urban society into the village. Relationships among villagers had been changing
from collective relationship to individualism. Development of economic in the village
caused villagers had own lands for agricultural activities. Those who did not have own
lands had to work in the city. In 1998-2002, villagers suggested that it was a golden period
for villagers. Economic growth caused people in the village decided working at industrial
estate where located not too far from the village, while others worked as contracted labour
in service sector. It resulted in a shift of village‘s livelihoods which was able to divided

into 3 period as follows.
Period 1 (before 1997); in this period, it was a traditional rural society. The
villagers had poor economic status, so they sustained their livings with simple lifestyle.
Foods were collected from natural resources. This is confirmed by Woods (2011) who
found that people‘s living in prehistoric era was based on nature. In this era, lands for
cultivation was limited, so villagers did not have to work outside the village. Villagers
lived and adhered to local tradition. They helped each other. Money is quite valuable, since
the cost of living was very cheap. This findings is confirmed by Eiwsriwong (2014) who
found that traditional rural society was rich in natural resources. Commercial purpose had
not yet introduced to traditional society, and no facilities to support lifestyle as much as in
the present. However, in 1994, many villagers sold their lands to the outsiders because
price of the lands was increasing. Agricultural products including livestock was at high
selling price. Therefore, villagers decided selling lands and livestock, and they bought a
variety of facilities to support household‘s needs such as vehicle.
In 1997, Thailand had faced with financial crisis (aka Tom Yum Kung). The crisis
started in Thailand. Thai government was forced to float the Baht (Thai currency) due to

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lack of foreign currency to support its currency peg to the U.S. dollar. (Bank of Thailand,
2013). The crisis severely affected the living of Thai people. Many business, such as housing
companies, construction business, industrial sector, and financial institutions were severely
affected. Many companies had closed down with debt. A huge number of employee were
laid off. Every family had to save money. Unemployed people in the city could not return
home because they migrated out of the village for a long time. Those who work in many
companies have been confiscated, while their children were not able to continue studying
because their parents had no money for education expense. These severely effects also hit
Sai Ngarm village unavoidably. Villager‘s lifestyle turned to be simple again.
Period 2 (after 1997 to 2006); financial crisis caused livelihoods of villagers

especially on household economic status. Villagers of Sai Ngarm did not have any jobs or
incomes to support their livings until 2002. Country‘s economy was getting better in the
government of Thaksin Shinawatra, a Prime Minister. Villagers had a chance to work
outside the village again. They worked in industrial estate, and some worked as contracted
labour at urban area of Khon Kaen city, or they migrated to worked over the country where
jobs were available for them. This findings was supported by Kanchanapan (2011) who
found that rural societies have been entering into a new form of social structure. Several
governmental projects took place, and villagers received benefits from the projects such as
the village fund which allowed villagers made a loan when they needed, or the 30 Baht
Health Care which provided health security to Thai people (National Health Security Office,
2015). The villagers were able to access medical service by paying 30 Baht of medical fee.
Moreover, the project had well-managed operation. There were the ambulance cars available
for every single area of Thailand. The villagers did not had to pay for transportation fee. This
was quite different from the past that villagers had to rent a car to take patients to the
hospital, and both transportation fee and medical fee were quite high. The 30 Baht project
could save extending the life of the poor people. In addition, the project was more effective
when the 30 Baht project was run by Sub-district Administration Organization. This change
would provide more accessibility of medical treatment to villagers.
Period 3 (2007-present); an era of economic growth. Capitalism played an
important role in villager‘s lifestyle. Many villagers went to work in industrial areas and
urban areas due to a high wage they received. Working in industrial areas and urban areas
helped them improving household economic status. Villagers had more opportunities in
life, and they got more properties and compensations from the state. Quality of life among
households was better with a lifestyle combination between traditional lifestyle and urban
lifestyle. The findings supported Kearney (1996) who found that rural communities had
been changing in the context of globalization. He also suggested that most of rural society
in post modernity era had characteristics which is a combination between localism and
urbanism. It was not a traditional peasant society anymore. Suburban community located
close to urban area, so the community might receive influence of urban culture easily.
However, traditional lifestyle was still exist. Villagers still fed up their livestock, grew

vegetable, collected wild foods from forest, etc, while someone worked outside community
such as working in industrial areas. The income of this group will be fixed, and they

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earned regular income rather than those who still relied on traditional way of life. Those
who worked in the factory would earn 300 Baht daily wage, and working condition in
workplace was good. It was different from traditional lifestyle which villagers had to find
wild products in the forest.
According to statement above, it is found that villagers did not only focus on
income, but they also focused on working condition. Although it was a hard work, working
in industrial factory provided regular income and comfort facilities, while natural resources
nearby village were decreasing. However, it is found some households with good financial
status also had activity related to natural resources as well. Those who had big houses and
facilities, they would fed up the cattle within resident area. The findings was supported by
Rigg and Ritchie (2002) who found that rural people had changed their roles and activities.
They turned themselves from the producers to supply their households into the producers
who played important role in the market. They could make money and move up their
social status. Selling price of cattle currently is high. Now the villagers could sell cattle
with a price of 20,000-30,000 Baht per unit, while in the past the villagers sold cattle 3,0004,000 Baht per unit. Moreover, the trade of cattle could be made easier than in the past. The
middlemen would come to the village directly to buy cattle. Then, the middlemen would sell
cattle at the cattle market, where located not far away from the village. Now there are
estimated 20 percent of villager in Sai Ngarm village who raise cattle. The study found that
villagers who raised cattle might not be poor people as in the past because they could make a
lot of money from the cattle trade. In addition, villagers who have their own rice field, it is
found that nowadays the fields are sold to the capitalists from outside the village.
From statement above, villagers have lifestyle which is a combination between rural
lifestyle and urban lifestyle. Some villagers do not conduct rice farming anymore, since rice
fields are sold to the capitalists from outside the village. They, thus, turned to work in the

factory. Some villagers are still working in rice farming. They tried to do rice farm with
integration method because nowadays the current farming does not have to do throughout
the season. It has more facilities to grow rice. Modern technology helps farmers to do rice
farming easier. Some farmers could hire contracted labour to do farming in order to save
time, while farmers have more time to do other jobs in the city. According to findings
above, conclusion of lifestyle of suburban people is presented as follows. (Table 1)
Table 1: Lifestyle of suburban people in Khon Kaen city
Period
Lifestyle

Period 1

Period 2

Period 3

before 1997

1997-2006

2007 - present

- Agrarian society –
subsistence mode
- Simple lifestyle
- Rely on rural traditions
Lifestyle

- Kin-based relationship
- Non-monetary system

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- Economic growth
- People started
working out of
community or working
in the factory

- Combination between
rural lifestyle and urban
lifestyle

- Better livings

- Capitalism flows,
money becomes
primarily concern in life

- Money is used to

- More commercial-


Period
Lifestyle

Period 1

Period 2

before 1997

1997-2006
exchange facilities for
themselves or families

- No facilities

Period 3
2007 - present
based production
- People started working
out of community or
working in the factory
- Capital accumulationresulted in better
economic status
- Active life and
competitive life for
owning resources

3.3 Activities of suburban people
This part focused on activities of suburban people who spent their life as the
commuter. It was found that suburban people were influenced by location of village where
was close to urban areas of Khon Kaen city. Therefore, suburban people and urban area
had related to each other through socio-economic aspect. Sub urban people took urban
culture and activities into village. Conditions related to activities of suburban people were
presented as following detail.
1) Recreation; is one of activities that suburban people loved to. Types of
recreation were designed based on several conditions. For instance, the type of work that is

determined by time, economic status in which money is the main factor in life, and age
difference among family members. The study found that people in the suburban areas who
had a stable job. They would have high income and owned a lot of property. Those
conditions resulted in good economic status of the family. They had a good quality of life.
They had many activities to relax themselves. The activities they did normally reflect
family‘s status and desires such as leisure trips to tourist attractions on the weekend. This
symbolic consumption was generally expressed by the Generations X people and
Generations Y people. This findings was supported by Piriya phonphiroon and Pangpond
Rakamneukit (2007) who found that people nowadays have more consumption of signs.
For instance, the selection of foods and restaurants, shopping luxurious facilities, going to
the mall to shop for convenient amenities, or other activities that are often associated with
technology. While group of suburban people, who were moderate life, would have regular
jobs which provided middle income to them. Thus, activities they did mostly were
reasonable, and they would do something which was necessary to their families. Activities
they did such as leisure activities, shopping some necessary items. They normally shop and
used the items that were usually available in the market. Suburban people who were faced
with difficult life. Their options in lifestyle were quite limited. So, their activities they did
mostly related to recreation and survival strategy. For instance, they spent time to find wild
products for household consumption. In addition, the items that they used in daily life were
usually found in the village.

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2) Community-related activities; are activities that suburban people participated
together. Most of activities related to religious practices, traditions, and local culture.
According to an interview with suburban people who participated in community activity,
the Generation X and Generation Y people were main group that participated in
community activities, especially religious activities. The findings was confirmed by Gray
et al (2016) who suggested that those two group of people were still adherent to local

traditions. When they had day-off, they usually went to temple to make a merit. While
suburban people participated in some local rituals and traditions depended on their time
availability. They could not participated in all rituals and traditions because they had
regular job to do. One of key informant stated about the participation of local rituals and
events as following detail.
―I occasionally go to temple for making merit. If the Buddhist day is on the same
day as my day-off, I will go with my children. But I cannot attend every events because I
have work to do‖
(Ms.Nongluck (pseudonym))
Moreover, suburban people who had a middle financial status gave an interview as
follows.
―In the past people in the village spent time together to do activity in the temple, but
now they have to work. They do not have time to do community events. Moreover, people
think about themselves more and more. They would not become a member group if they
do not get any advantages. If there are some advantages for them, they would participated
in. for example, the village fund. The fund has some money for villagers. The villagers are
happy to be a member of the group‖
(Ms.Daoreung (pseudonym))
It is clear that suburban people still have the desire to participate in community
activities, such as bringing children to temples to learn traditions and religious practices.
However, participation of group would be interested when there are some benefits for
villagers. It is noted that suburban people, who have middle quality of life and poor quality
of life, would be applying for community group such as the village fund because there are
loans to make when they needed.
From the above, suburban people are trying to adapt themselves. In the past,
they had lived with a simple lifestyle, but currently "money" is the main factor for
villagers to select lifestyle and activities. Suburban people try to seek for money and
resources in order to sustain livelihoods of themselves and households. Therefore, they
choose to move to work in urban areas because they believe that working in urban
areas would provide better economic status to their households. When they come back

to live in suburban areas, they take urban lifestyle activities into suburban areas.
Researcher divided the lifestyle and activities of suburban people which related to their
livelihoods into 3 groups as following detail.

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Table 2: Activities of suburban people in Khon Kaen city
Livelihoods
Activities

Activities

Poor livings
- Main purpose of
activities is for
household
consumption,
occupation, or
survival.
- Relying on natural
resources. For
example, agroactivity on their
lands, or make
natural-based
household facilities.
- Being contracted
labour in vary
business.

Fair livings

Well livings

- Activities are more
reasonable
- Activities related to
religious practices such as
making a merit at temple
- Activities of participating
community event such as be
a member of the village fund
- Recreation such as doing
housekeeping tasks with
household members, or go
shopping. However,
activities are depending on
household economic status
and age of household
member.

- Activities are variety.
- Activities were made
in order to meet
household‘s desire
- Consumption of signs
such as eating at
restaurant, or shopping
some luxurious goods.
- Activities for recreation

such as travelling with
family in weekend.
- Shopping some
luxurious goods or high
price facilities. People
who were generation X
and generation Y liked
to do shopping.

4. Discussion and Conclusion
The study of lifestyle and activities of suburban people in Khon Kaen province can
be concluded into three pattern as following details.
1) Suburban people who have a good living and high income; it is found that this
group owned many resources. When they worked and were able to collect money, they had
several ways to accumulate capitals such as economic capital, social capital, cultural
capital, and even symbolic capital. They choose to do activities depending on their desire
such as family vacation, shopping on the weekend, eating at their favorite restaurants, or
shopping luxurious goods. These activities refer to their identity and social status.
2) Suburban people who had moderate living; they normally have reason to choose
activities. Most activities would be considered based on their incomes from regular work and
necessities of livings. Activities often relate to religious practices such as making a merit at
temple. Moreover, they are members of the group within community in order to receive
some benefits, such as being members of the village fund to get a loan. They usually spend
their time with family at home on the weekend, or go to shopping mall to buy the necessary
items. It is noted that most items they bought usually are available in the market.
3) Suburban people who had difficult living; people of this group had low
education and low income. They had a limit in life, so they cannot do activities as they
wish. Most of activity relate to survival strategy including collecting wild foods at the
forest, working in the rubber plantation to get a place to live in return. However, they
still have some time for relaxation.

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The results also found what makes differences of lifestyle and activities of suburban
people. Occupation and economic status are major conditions relate to the differences of
lifestyle and activities among suburban people. It is to say that different occupations would
lead to different economic status among suburban households. The differences of economic
status among suburban households also relate to lifestyle and activities of people. This findings
is confirmed by Bourdieu (1984) who investigated a concept of social stratification. In this
study, behavior of suburban people and social stratification can be linked as following details.
Each group of suburban people has different lifestyle and activities including 1)
sociable person; who mostly are those who success in life, and they have high income,
properties, and other capitals. They are educated, and have high confidence in themself.
Social image is important to them, so they usually present themselves with a unique lifestyle.
They usually perform their identity through activities such as shopping luxurious goods, or
eating at a high-class restaurant. 2) Those who want to succeed. This group owns some
capitals. They mostly are well-educated, and be responsible in work and life. This group
primarily concern activities relate to recreation or family vacation. They have middle
income, and like to consume trendy fashions. They have wide-knowledge, and be reasonable
in life. Therefore, they have belief which adhere to social morals. Regarding consumption in
daily life, they love to consume mass-branded products. Their lifestyle and activities are
about families, temples, clubs, and nation. And 3) the struggling person; they mostly own
less living capitals, and low-educated. They have limits in life, so their social engagement
are quite low. They are quite concern their daily expenses. They prefer to use the same old
items in life so that their lifestyle and activities are for living rather than recreation.
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