The Development of Social Capital to Cultural Tourism Management: A case study of Pak Phraek Community

Abstract

The research objectives were : 1) To study the potential of local communities in promoting culturaltourism. 2) To study the factors that were affected to cultural tourism, including the problems and suggestions of the community in promoting cultural tourism and 3) To promote the community participation by proceeding to  community’s need and social structure in the community and context.

The target area was Pakprak community which was  accorded with the chosen criteria. The target group of this study was comprised of leader of community both formal and informal way, thegovernment staffs, Deputy Mayor of Muang Kanchanaburi, Municipality, Entrepreneur in Pakprak community, Thai and international tourists who traveled to Pakprak community and nearby area.

This research was divided into 2 phases. The 1^st phase  was : To study the potential of local community on Dawei project for promoting the cultural tourism, and the 2^nd  phase was : To develop the social capital to participatory tourism management of communities along the Dawei Project. The instruments of this research were the structured interview, semi–structured interview and the activities of constructed day, the motto competition and the conservative photograph of Pakprak community was shown with the visions through the motto and photograph.

The results of the research found that 1) Pakprak  community had the potential to be the tourism area  following to Thailand tourism standard criteria which  consisted of 3 main components, 20 sub-components      2) The community had some limit that was lack of  promoting continuously, 3) The activities which were used  could promote the community participation. The reasons  most people joined the activity was : constructed day of  Muang Kanchanaburi were the memory of Kanchanaburi  in the past, be proud of Kanchanaburi people, and know the history of Kanchanaburi, Pakprak community, important person. The research also found that the activity that promoted the social structure of community, context and the area connected to Pakprak community which were 3 areas ; 1) Historical tourism 2) Tourism, traditions, arts and culture and 3) Sports and health tourism