A POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION IN ENHANCING BUDDHIST TOURISM AND CULTURE OF THAI-LAOS

Abstract

           The purposes of research entitled “The capacity development of the community and the local administrative organization in enhancing the Buddhist and cultural tourism of Thais and Laos were 1) to study the problems of the community and the local administrative organization in enhancing the Buddhist and cultural tourism of Thais – Laos and 2) to study the guideline of the capacity developmentof the community and the local administrative organizations in enhancing the Buddhist and cultural tourism of Thais – Laos. This research was the mixed research both the documentary research and qualitative research in field study by using the mixed methodological research emphasizing

           Interviewing, observation and focus group participating with eccl. Administrative officers, administrators of the local administrative organizations, the leaders of community, academicians, entrepreneurs and tourists consisting of 50 subjects. The instruments for study are the questionnaires with interviewing or interview guideline and observation. The data analysis is the content analysis.

           The results of research were found that:

1. The results of studying the problems of the community and the local administrative organization in enhancing the Buddhist and cultural tourism of Thais- Laos were found that 1) the Buddhist tourism has the limitation in the less tourist resources and always finds natural disasters. In the branch of administration, it is lack of the guideline to manage how to focus on the enhancement of tourism and lack of the skill in the branch of service, not to have the interpreters to give the knowledge to the tourists. In the branch of the tourist activity management, it is lack of the creative activities enhancing the occupation income of the community. The majority of activities is the meritorious activities in accordance with the Buddhist tradition, that is, to worship the Buddha by asking for blessing from the sacred Buddha’s image and to worship the pagodas. In the branch of participation, it is lack of the participation in the activities of enhancing the tourism in accordance with the tradition only. While the cultural tourism, it has the limitation in continuation of the activities occurring in accordance with the time of festival only. The majority of administration has the main problems in the convenience of traffic, parking lots, water closets. In addition, it is still lack of integration of the temples, public sectors and state sectors.


2. The results of studying the guideline in developing the capacity of the community and the local administrative organizations in enhancing the Buddhist and cultural tourism of Thais and Laos were found that 1) in the branch of the tourist resources, The enhancement and preservation of the primitive ways of the community must be made to motivate the tourists including the development of the facilities for response of the tourists’ requirementand the universal standards 2) in the branch of administration, the administration must focus on the participation by the state sector supporting both knowledge, persons and budgets by integration of administration among the temples, government sector and the public sector perfectively 3) in the branch of the tourist, it must develop the creative activities, diversities, suitable for the local culture and tradition and the law of the nation and 4) in the branch of participation, the participation must be created in every sectors altogether with the temples, community, government sector, volunteer in every categories of the tourist activities.