Rights Beautiful Collection of Professor Saneh Chamarik have by now become extinct, and for the most part they occur within the tropical forests.3 And finally, along with the forests and bio-diversity, there also co-exist humans and society. That, again, poses the question of relationships between man and nature, and for that matter, management and utilization of natural resources. In a way, one is not quite sure if the term “management” is actually appropriate in this context It sounds as if nature is entirely under human control or even worse, domination and manipulation. That, unfortunately, seems to be the case with modern scientific thinking and practicing of the scientific West. At any rate, it is otherwise in traditional Southeast Asia. In spite of century-old modernization and so-called development, it still remains tradition-bound for the most part of its rural sector, that is, as far as relationships with nature is concerned. All this consideration brings us further to the question as to how indigenous people and communities fare and sustain their lives in such highly delicate and yet sustainable natural surroundings for centuries, generations after generations. The first thing, as one sees it, is a real need for a hard rethinking about what is termed “tradition”. For one thing, it is certainly not just about religious rites, beliefs, superstition, or what not. In essence, it represents a unique learning culture with spiritual value and awareness, and yet not without scientific connotation and intuition. And this, despite backwardness and underdevelopment, as is often assumed especially among national modernizing elite within Southeast Asia themselves. As well respected Indian scholars instructively put it thus: 3 Sumontha Prombun, “Bio-Diversity”, in Bio-Diversity in Thailand, (in Thai), Bangkok, Learn on Line 2002, pp. 9-11. Somsakdi Sukwonges, “Conservation of Bio-Diversity”, in Wiwat Katithamnit, ed., BioDiversity and Sustainable Development, (in Thai), B.E. 2536, pp. 63-64. The specific point concerning the tropical forests’ inter-relatedness and unifying entity was already raised in the speaker’s keynote presentation at the lll MMSEA (Montane Mainland Southeast Asia) Conference, Lijiang, Yunnan, 25-28 August 2002. 54 OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF THAILAND