Managing Tourism Impacts on Local People, A Case Study of Dvaravati Sri Nakhon Pathom Walking Street (Community Along the Canal of Wat Phra Ngam), Phra Pathom Chedi Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nakhon Pathom Province

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to 1) study the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the economy, society, culture and environment towards the local people, case study of Dvaravati Sri Nakhon Pathom walking street (Community along the canal of Wat Phra Ngam), Phra Pathom Chedi subdistrict, Mueang district, Nakhon Pathom province. 2) Study guidelines for managing tourism impacts of the economy, society, culture and environment towards the local people. It is survey research both quantitative and qualitative. The sample group used in this study was 379 local people in the Wat Phra Ngam community who are over 20 years old using convenience sampling and interviews with 10 store operators and local residents. The tools used in the research are questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Statistics used in data analysis include frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and content analysis.

The results found that 1) the local people’s opinion towards positive tourism impacts, case study of Dvaravati Sri Nakhon Pathom walking street (community along the canal of Wat Phra Ngam), Phra Pathom Chedi subdistrict, Mueang district, Nakhon Pathom province, overall, it was at a high level (mean=3.77, SD=0.84). As for the negative impacts on tourism in all 4 areas mentioned above, overall, it was at a moderate level (mean=3.00, SD=1.03). 2) guidelines for managing tourism impacts in various areas are as follows: Economic aspect: Phra Pathom Chedi Subdistrict Municipality, which owns the area, should have measures such as controlling goods and services in terms of price and quality. Social aspect: there should be cooperation in publicizing various walking street activities to create more awareness. In term of culture, activities should be organized to promote traditions and local culture in order to stimulate tourism for local people and tourists to participate in the activities and the environmental aspect, agencies in all sectors should cooperate together to improve and develop the surrounding area to be orderly, beautiful, manage used waste and providing other facilities as well.