TOURIST ROUTES FOLLOWING THE SACRED THINGS AND THE WAY OF LIFE OF MON RAMAN NAKHON KHUEAN KHAN TO PROMOTE TOURISM

Abstract

This research aimed to study tourist routes and assess the feasibility of tourist attractions related to the Mon lifestyle in Nakhon Khuen Khan, and to develop a tourist route that traces the sacred sites of Nakhon Khuen Khan. This qualitative research approach involved 17 key informants: government officialls, local experts, and tourists with at least 3 years of experience. The research instruments used included semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, and descriptive statistics and content analysis were used. The results revealed that there are 6 places currently without any formal tourist routes and feasibility studies, based on local conditions: 1) Wat Protket Chettharam, featuring the Phra Phuttha Chinnat Satsada and the Reclining Buddha; 2) Phra Pradaeng City Pillar Shrine, featuring a thousand-year-old Ganesha statue; 3) Wat Khanlat, featuring Luang Pho Mandalay, and the Mon House Museum; 4) Wat Asa Songkhram, featuring Luang Pu Yeo Khosako; 5) Wat Songtham Worawihan, featuring the Buddha in the Mara-Vijaya posture and the first wooden statue of Thao Wessuwan; and 6) Wat Klang, featuring Luang Pu Mon, featuring the Buddha in the Subduing Relatives posture. Currently, the responsible agencies for communicating about tourism are the Special Area Development Administration Organization for Sustainable Tourism, Phra Pradaeng District Municipality, local administrative organizations in each area, and the public relations unit of Wat. There are no organized tourist routes, but two routes have been created along the sacred sites of Nakhon Khuean Khan, complete with promotional materials in the form of QR codes: 1) Traveling a route by personal car, starting from Wat Phrotket Chettharam To Wat Klang; and 2) Traveling a route along the public bus route from the City Pillar Shrine, Phra Phikanet to Wat Khan lat, designed as a one-day trip.