AN ANALYSIS OF PARTICIPATIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES: BAN THA KHOI COMMUNITY, SI PRACHAN, SUPHAN BURI

Abstract

    The objectives were to propose that community-based tourism development activities should be operated correctly and systematically amidst participation environment, otherwise it might lead to conflicts, incur problems and obstacles and eventually affect tourism. Hence, an analysis of participations and attitudes towards community-based tourism development activities was a tool to resolve problems as well as drive development for enhancing participations and attitudes towards community-based tourism development activities in the case study, Ban Tha Khoi, Si Prachan, Suphan Buri. The questionnaire was used for quantitative data compilation was gathered from 351 cases of community members. The qualitative data was derived from key informants through in-depth interview, focus group and participatory observation. The key informants included 35 cases of leaders and community members. The descriptive statistics were implemented for quantitative data analysis. Meanwhile, the data triangulation was employed for qualitative data analysis and presented in description. The findings revealed that: Ban Tha Khoi Community is notable for rice and agricultural cultivation and suitable for cultural agricultural community tourism. However, the level of participation and attitude towards community-based tourism development activities at moderate and it was only the level of acknowledge and information provision. The problems/ obstacles of community-based activity development consisted of economic problems in family, attitudes toward tourism leaders and leading team and interaction of community members. Besides, the suggestions for resolutions were implementation of consensus process for participation, development activities disclosure and application of conservative driving activities.