From Queen of Silk to World Crafts City: The Potential of Phraewa Silk in Kalasin for Cultural Heritage Tourism Development

Abstract

          This research aimed to: (1) to assess the readiness and potential of Phraewa silk in Kalasin Province for World Crafts City development according to World Crafts Council criteria; (2) to examine development pathways for the Phraewa silk network to promote cultural heritage tourism towards World Crafts City status; and (3) to evaluate the economic potential from Phraewa silk cultural heritage tourism development towards World Crafts City designation. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, collecting qualitative data through in-depth interviews with 11 agencies/groups and quantitative data from 200 questionnaires, analyzed using descriptive statistics.

           The research findings demonstrated that: (1) Phraewa silk in Kalasin Province showed 100% readiness across three key aspects: registration as a short-term tourism plan to attract tourists, creation of world heritage value through international events, and serious tourism development planning; (2) the network development approach encompassed five core dimensions: product, integration, infrastructure, marketing, and driving mechanisms; and (3) the potential assessment revealed the highest strength in craftsmanship quality (x̄ = 4.67), with marketing in events scoring highest (x̄ = 4.62) in the Craft City designation criteria. Nevertheless, critical development needs included strengthening integration mechanisms with the lowest score (x̄ = 4.20) and addressing the shortage of young weavers, requiring urgent attention to preserve traditional wisdom sustainability.