Young Guide Development for Ecotourism at Jedkod-Pongkonsao at Thamaprang Sub-District, Kaeng Khoi District, Saraburi Province

Abstract

            The objectives of this applied research were: 1) to study context, potentiality, and problems related to the ecotourism; 2) to study characteristics of young guide according to the ecotourism; and 3) to provide development guidelines for young guide owing to the Jedkod-Pongkonsao ecotourism at Thamaprang sub-district, Kaeng Khoi district, Saraburi province. The participants received from purposive sampling were divided into 2 groups including: 1) staffs of Jedkhod-Pongkonsao Natural and Ecotourism Study Center, personnel in the tourism business association, community leaders, and people living at Tha Maprang sub-district, Kaeng Khoi district, Saraburi province (14 participants in total); and 2) 260 of young guides for ecotourism. Research tools consisted of a survey form, an interviewing form, and a focused-group discussion form. The qualitative data were triangulated and the quantitative data were analyzed for frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The study found that:

            1) Jedkhod-Pongkonsao Natural and Ecotourism Study Center is located at Moo 5, Thamaprang sub-district, Kaeng Khoi district, Saraburi province. The study center is adjacent to the west side of Khao Yai National Park with biodiversity and abundance in both plant and animal species. According to a potential analysis of tourist attractions based on Dickman concepts, the findings are as followings. 1) In term of attractions, there are Sap Pa Wan Reservoir, Jedkhod Nuea Waterfall, Jedkhod-Klang Waterfall, Jetkhod Tai Waterfall, Khao Kaeb Waterfall, and Kroke-Edoke Waterfall. This also includes the surrounding atmosphere that is natural and cold weather in tourist season. 2) According to accessibilities, the route to Jedkhod-Pongkonsao is convenient. From Saraburi, tourists can travel along the National Highway 2 or Mittraphap Road to Jedkhod-Pongkonsao. 3) For accommodations, rooms, lodges and tents are provided to serve tourists. 4) Owing to tourism activities, lots of activities are provided including ecotourism activities through a nature study route, local herb education activities, wildlife learning activities, camping activities, and the activity of camping in the middle of the forest. 5) In term of destination amenities, tourist service center, WIFI service point, restroom, food court and conference room are provided to serve the tourist. According to problems relating to tourism management, the findings are as followings. 1) Owing to the tourism personnel, there are few tourism staff and personnel at the study center. Therefore, if there are many tourists, they will not be able to provide full tour services. 2) In term of the tourist, tourists lack of knowledge and understanding about walking along the natural path which affecting the environment in tourist attractions. 3) For the tour guide, there is a small number of tour guides in the area that are able to work. Further, tour guides frequently change since most of them are people in the community who have a family mission causing discontinuous operations. 4) Owing to the community participatory process, the communities nearby the tourist attractions are still not much involved in tourism management.

            2) According to the study about characteristics of a young guide for ecotourism, the study reveal that most respondents are female (58.1%) aged between 10-15 years old (84.6%) and over 20 years old (8.5%). Further, 84.6% of the respondents finished primary education while others (11.2%) finished secondary education / vocational certificate / high vocational certificate. Most of the respondents are students (84.6%) and some of them have other occupations (8.9%). Owing to the opinion on characteristics of a young guide for ecotourism management, the overall opinion is at a high level. However, when considering each aspect, it was found that the highest is the ethics in the tour guide profession ( = 4.99, S.D. = 0.01) followed by working skills (  = 4.24, S.D. = 0.44), and knowledge (  = 3.23, S.D. = 0.39), respectively.

            3) Basing on the study about guidelines to develop a young guide for ecotourism of Jedkhod-Pongkonsao, the development guidelines are proposed as followings. 1) The development of knowledge, working skills and ethics in the tour guide profession: there should be education activities to practice and develop skills for being a young guide. Further, ethics in the tour guide profession should be created for young guides and constantly developing new groups of young guides to increase the number of young guides that can perform more effectively. Finally, a guidebook for young guides to use for education and as a tour guide should be provided. 2) Creating a motivation to be a young guide: this should be done in order to have a young guide to continuously perform his duties. For examples, honoring the young guides who perform their duties by giving a certificate, providing uniforms for the young guide to be proud of their duties, or having a tour guide payment system for young guides, and etc. 3) Creating community involvement in the development of a young guides: Collaboration with the community or school in the area by setting objectives and activities together to encourage the youth in the area to participate in tourism management. This will create awareness, self-esteem, love in local and community that lead to a preservation of local resources together, finally.