CCDKM: The Research Center of Communication and Development Knowledge Management
was initiated by various groups of people from different institutes, universities, knowledge frameworks, backgrounds, interests, and nationality, all wanting to contribute to positive and sustainable social and cultural change. The major focus is on the interconnections between “Media” “Communication” and “Development”. The Center's outlook is to "give back" and "empower" the ones who have “less” - the disenfranchised, the dispossessed and the marginal.

We have a regional outlook as a starting point - Thailand, the Greater Mekong Sub-region and ASEAN - and plan, in the future, to engage with similarly focused organizations in many other countries around the world. The Center's work is volunteer-based aiming to facilitate relevant and timely knowledge building and innovative practice to enhance participatory development, mutual support and self-sufficiency. Contributions and the sharing of specialist knowledge and experience in these areas are most welcome.

The Center works collaboratively with many active partners -- NGOs, community groups, foundations, government agencies, university researchers and independent scholars and activists.

There are three major objectives:

1] R & D
Focus on the ways that cultural, social, economic, political, legal, and spiritual development can be enhanced through the use of all forms of media and communication, both in Thailand and the
ASEAN region, and especially in Greater Mekong Sub-Region countries, including Cambodia,
Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, southern China.

Emphasis is given to "old" media (radio, television, print formats), and "new" media especially
information communication technologies (ICT : Internet, pod casting, web-streaming)

2] Practice and Participation
Focus on collaborative and participatory initiatives and activities working with relevant partners and networks in the field and at a community-base level.

A key tool and methodology is based on participatory action research for development. Major partners are drawn from interested practitioners and community groups who become affiliated with CCDKM for specific projects and on-going consultation. Pineapple Eyes community activist and theatre group is one of the current partners in Thailand.

3] Publication and Knowledge Transfer
Focus on collating and disseminating information, and on researching contemporary community based issues

Information and research will be continuously up-dated and published on-line and in hard copy

In conjunction with off-line activities, the Center will act as an on-line coordinating hub and clearing-house for "open sources learning".

In July 2007, CCDKM received an approved budget from the "Thai Health Promotion Foundation" to conduct action research on Communication and Media for Youth Development. This initial study will be the "springboard" for further work in this area
throughout Thailand and ASEAN.