A Study of Changes in Souvenir Business Entrepreneurs in Ban Rom Bo-Sang Handicraft Community San kamphaeng District Chiang Mai Province During the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to 1) study guidelines for solving problems in running business of souvenir business entrepreneurs; and 2) study behaviours of souvenir business entrepreneurs in adjusting their ways of running business during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.         This study was qualitative research using interviews as a research instrument. The participants were 15 souvenir business entrepreneurs in Rom Bo-Sang handicraft community, San Kamphaeng district, Chiang Mai province by non-probabilistic random with purposive sampling.

It was found that 1) there were 4 guidelines for solving problems in running business of souvenir business entrepreneurs: 7 participants preferred not to change their ways of distributing goods but used their savings in running their business in order to survive, 6 participants preferred to have the online channels for distributing goods that helped them earned more income, 1 participant preferred to have a new job but wanted to do the souvenir business again after the COVID -19 pandemic gets better, and 1 participant preferred to do extra jobs to earn extra income to support their souvenir business and to survive during the COVID-19 pandemic; and 2) 15 souvenir business entrepreneurs differently adjusted their ways of running business such as 9participants adjusted business timing, decreased number of staff, changed ways of distributing goods, etc. 6participants continued running their business the same ways as before but in return their business were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in various ways such as the decrease of their income, and more expenses to cover in order to survive.