MOBILIZING COMMUNITY CULTURAL CAPITAL FOR CULTURAL TOURISM ROUTE DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM WANG TAKU SUB-DISTRICT, NAKHON PATHOM PROVINCE

Abstract

This qualitative research aimed to: 1) Explore and analyze the potential of cultural capital across various dimensions that serve as a foundational basis for cultural tourism in Wang Taku Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Pathom Province; 2) Examine community opinions and participation in the development of tourism routes; and 3) Propose guidelines for developing cultural tourism routes within the community. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 18 purposively selected key informants from three groups: local administrators, small-scale entrepreneurs, and knowledgeable persons in local history and indigenous wisdom. Data reliability was verified using triangulation. The findings revealed that the community possesses five dimensions of cultural capital: capital in beliefs and religion, capital in indigenous wisdom, capital in organic agricultural technology, capital in historical identity, and capital in contemporary accommodation and food-service entrepreneurship. Accommodation and restaurant businesses were found to play a dual role in relation to local identity. On one hand, they promote local identity by reinterpreting local ingredients and indigenous knowledge to make them acceptable to modern markets; on the other hand, commercially oriented design risks reducing the community to a mere backdrop for tourism. The third and fifth dimensions of capital reflect a dynamic adaptation to contemporary contexts. Community participation was found to operate at the level of engagement and collaboration. Six guidelines for development were proposed: establishing routes that link cultural capital with local learning resources; constructing community identity through symbols and promotional media; enhancing the value of local products; promoting marketing through social media; supporting the cultural roles of women, the elderly, and youth; and managing the environment. Nevertheless, community participation had not yet reached the level of empowerment, as decision-making remained centralized among local leaders. Therefore, the sustainable development of cultural tourism based on community capital requires the advancement of participatory mechanisms to ensure inclusiveness and equity.