The Potential of Interpretation Management in Phnom Rung Historical Park, Buriram Province

Abstract

This research titled “The Potential of Interpretation Management in Phnom Rung Historical Park, Buriram Province.” The purposes of this study were to study the demographic characteristics of Thai tourists who visited Phnom Rung Historical Park, and to examine the potential of interpretation management in Phnom Rung Historical Park. Mixed research methodology was used for this study. For the qualitative research method, the key informants were 18 relevant interpretation management stakeholders and Thai historical tourists while samples for the quantitative research method were 400 Thai tourists who visited Phnom Rung Historical Park in the year 2018.

The results of Thai tourists’ demographic characteristics revealed that the majority of tourists are female, aged between 20-30 years old, holding a bachelor’s degree, working as employees in private companies, earning more than 25,000 baht per month, and living in the northeastern region of Thailand. The potential of interpretation management in aspects of sources or senders, messages, channels of interpretation, and receivers were at a high level. This could be considered different from the interview results; including, the lack of tour guides, the information that was difficult to understand, the inappropriate channels of interpretation for the area and for the tourists’ needs, and the lack of responsibility of some tourists.