Policy Proposal for Creating Economic Security Via Management of Eco-community Tourism of Hat Lek Sub-District in Khlong Yai District, Trat Province

Abstract

        The objective of this research was to propose the policy proposal for creating economic security via management of eco-community tourism of Hat Lek Sub-district in Khlong Yai District, Trat Province. A qualitative research method was used including documentary research consisted of primary and secondary documents to collect eco-community tourism data and in-depth interviews with key informants as follows: 1) government officials at both policy making and operational levels, 2) people involved in the community, 3) local and local leaders in the community, and 4) tourists who came to the community and tourists who preferred ecotourism and observation. In addition, participatory research methods were used to present as guidelines for management of eco-community tourism of Hat Lek Sub-district. The results showed that guidelines from the operation to create economic security by management of eco-community tourism from the foundation in the context of Hat Lek community could be defined as a policy proposal in four issues as follows: the upgrading policy for spatial capacity development consisted of the development of the narrowest part of Thailand and the development and addition of check-in points in  community, the upgrading policy for human and community potential development consisted of the communication capacity development and youth skills development to become young guides, the upgrading policy for potential activity development consisted of tourism rule setting , time management system of tourism, tourism activity classification and provision of resources for tourists, and the upgrading policy for network capacity development consisted of infrastructure to support transnational tourism and tourism management to create connections among enterprises in the community.