Identity Formation and Civil Society Participation in Tourism Destination Along the Mun Rivers in the Upper Sisaket Province

Abstract

               This research aims to 1) study the current conditions of the Mun River in the upper part of Sisaket Province, 2) explore the identities of tourism sites in the study area, and 3) propose guidelines for civil society participation for local tourism development in the study area. This qualitative study employed three data collection methods in the first six months of research: interviews, focus group discussions, and brainstorming sessions with key informants from civil society in five districts of Sisaket. The data was then analyzed using classify content analysis.

              The findings revealed that 1) The current conditions of the Mun River reflect both physical and cultural characteristics, divided into three sections: the headwaters (Huai Thap Than Estuary), an ancient Dvaravati-era community notable for its prominent Yer ethnic group; the midstream (Huai Samran Estuary) with communities influenced by Lao culture and the Thai Khorat group; and the downstream (Huai Khayung Estuary), a community with wetland forest ecosystems and traditions rooted in the Mun-Chi River basin culture. 2) The identities of the tourism sites reveal tangible elements such as architecture and handicrafts, and intangible elements, such as beliefs, traditions, and rituals. 3) The civil society participation in tourism is evident in three areas: economically, through income generation based on grassroots economy models utilizing the Mun River; socially, through the formation of self-managed community organizations such as associations, community councils, and river basin networks; and environmentally, through natural resource conservation involving three types of land use: upland areas (Don Pu Ta), wetlands (lowland floodplain forest), and riverine areas (rapids and the river).