Puranawat Community: Cultural Landscape for Local Database Establishment and Guideline Development for Sustainable Tourist Attraction

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) survey the cultural landscape in the area of Puranawat waterside community, Thaweewatthana district, Bangkok; 2.) analyze the cultural landscape potentials in the community in order to develop the sustainable tourist attraction and 3.) analyze the suitable developmental patterns for the development of sustainable tourist attraction. The qualitative method was used in this research. Data was gathered from documents and field studies containing information about the physical characteristics, Individual interviews such as community leaders, religious leaders, folk philosopher and senior citizen using unstructured interview and descriptive analysis.

            The research showed that Puranawat area, located on Mahasawat canal waterside, in Thaweewatthana district, Bangkok, was an ancient community dating back to the previous century. There were many features of its cultural landscape deserving recognition for further thriving community development such as community history, natural environment, community culture, local wisdom heritage, and geographical features. These were important assets contributing to future tourist attraction development. It was found that the suitable developmental patterns for this can be divided into two aspects including 1.) the establishment of floating market highlighted by the community’s cultural aspects, and 2.) the development of Mahasawat canal waterside community turning into an ecological tourist attraction. However, the most important issue for the community development of sustainable tourist attraction was the community participation. It was important to broaden a clear understanding, to heighten awareness about their contribution in the community as well as to develop consciousness about the community in the minds of its members which were the essential components leading to the community strengths in the future.