The Development of Human capital supply to promote Tourism to Learn more about Thai Food on the Active Beach Tourism Cluster for ASEAN Economics Community (AEC)

Abstract

The research aimed to study the potential of local Thai
foods, products and guidelines to promote the products as well as the
marketing potential, tourists’ consumption behavior and interests in
Thai foods, a human capital in terms of supply management,
development of a model to promote a learning process related to
Thai foods, the policy and strategies for the entrepreneurs associated
with Thai foods for the tourist group called ‘Active Beach’. The
instrument for the quantitative research was a questionnaire, and for
the qualitative research were the in-depth interview and observation.
The population used in the research included 1) representatives from
the state sector, the private sector and the public; 2) domestic and
international tourists; 3) community leaders and local scholars;
4) entrepreneurs. The areas of the study were four provinces:
Chonburi, Rayong, Chataburi and Trat. Data were collected from: 1) the
groups of Thai and foreign tourists, community leaders and local
scholars; 2) entrepreneurs in the private sector; 3) a seminar held to get
suggestions and opinions from those concerned.
The research findings were as follows. Concerning the potential
of local Thai foods in the tourist group called ‘Active Beach’, there
were 80 items. Seventy-three items were foods in general, 7 items
were desserts. The food which was most popular among the tourists in
the areas of the study was a Thai-style mixed menu locally called yum
(66.09%). Secondary was Thai-style shrimp soup (61.01%), followed by
Somtum or Thai papaya salad (59.32%), Phadthai or Thai fried noodle
(40.68%), fried fish with fish sauce (30.50%), and minced meat/pork/
chicken (22.03%).
The potential of Thai food products could be enhanced by a
variety of ways: the products could be made available at the walking
street market or distributed at the food festivals. It was found that
54% of tourists was interested in the products because a variety of
foods was available at one place, which considerably facilitated them
to buy the foods of their own choice in one go. Besides, if raw
materials were prepared for the tourists to try their hands in preparing
foods, they became more interested in the food products.
As regards the tourists’ consumption behavior and interests in
learning Thai foods, it was found that 41.67% of the tourists in the
study chose the food restaurants or food shops by themselves; 40 % of
them chose Thai foods like yum, shrimp soup, Thai papaya salad, Thai
fried noodles and minced meat or pork; 53.33% chose food shops in
consideration of the factors of hygiene and environment; 50.83% said
they were impressed by food taste, food quality and food variety.
The policy and the strategies to develop learning of the
entrepreneurs were as follows. The policy was the development of
human capital on supply to promote tourism and the learning of Thai
foods of the group called ‘Active Beach’. There were two strategies:
one consist of 3 tactics and 12 plans was the development of a
potential of the entrepreneurs of foods and standard system for food
security; the other was 1 tactics and 3 plans was a development of a
supply to promote tourism and learning of Thai foods to prepare the
advent of ASEAN Economy Community and to solve the problems.