TOURISM NETWORK MODEL OF TOEI PANAN HANDICRAFT COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM, LOWER U-TAPAO CANAL WATERSHED, BANG KLAM DISTRICT, SONGKHLA PROVINCE

Abstract

          The objectives of this article were to: 1) study the components of Toei Panan handicrafts community-based tourism network, Lower U-Tapao Canal Watershed, Bang Klam District, Songkhla Province, and 2) study the tourism network model of Toei Panan handicraft community-based tourism, Lower U-Tapao Canal Watershed, Bang Klam District, Songkhla Province. The study was a qualitative research. In-depth interview was used to collect data from 15 respondents. The respondents were the representatives of Songkhla Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports, the representatives of local government organizations, the representatives of Songkhla Community Tourism Association, the representatives of Tourism Council of Songkhla, and the community leaders and members of the Toei Panan weaving group.

The results showed that 1. Participation of the Toei Panan handicraft community-based tourism network, Lower U-Tapao Canal Watershed, Bang Klam District, Songkhla Province were:

1) Toei Panan handicraft community-based tourism network, Lower U-Tapao Canal Watershed, Bang Klam District, Songkhla Province were: 1) Government organizations/associations played important roles in supporting the community-based tourism management, public relations, and tourism plans and tourism promotion, 2) Academic sections played roles in transferring management knowledge of Toei Panan Handicraft learning center, making Toei Panan Handicraft learning-based tourism center,  designing tourism programs and activities, and training community members, 3) Local administrative organizations played roles in tourism promotion, participated in community tourism planning meetings in order to determine tourism patterns and develop community-based tourism to match the community contexts, and 4) The community members participated in the conservation of local resources as tourism resources. and 2. The tourism network model of Toei Panan handicraft community-based tourism network, Lower U-Tapao Canal Watershed, Bang Klam District, Songkhla Province can be divided into internal and external networks. Community leaders are the key person of network coordination process.