Community Based Tourism Management Baan Hong Hae

Abstract

This study it aimed (1) to study the state and evaluate the potential of Community Based Tourism Management of Maesai Municipality sub-District (2) to Develop the system of Community Based Tourism Management of Maesai Municipality Sub-District in the special Economic Zone of Maesai District. This study conducted both participatory action research and survey research methods. The population was 344 people of Baan Hong Hae community members, using chain or snow ball sampling method, as well as the brainstorming from group interviewing and the meeting of Baan Hong Hae community in order to develop the Community Based Tourism Management of Baan Hong Hae.

     The study result of Baan Hong Hae showed that the community had high potential. Originally, the community had unity and strength in developing the community together to be the Village Model of Sufficiency Economy. This village has been also joined in growing organic vegetables for Prince Chakraband Pensiri Centre for Plant Development and the Royal Project. In addition, there were many projects of the community that achieved the awards from their unity and strength which would lead to sustainable villages such as Eggs Bank, Vegetables on the fence, Rice Berry Growing, Herbal Compress Ball, Waste Segregation, Reed Mat Learning Center, Rice Bank, Black-boned chicken farming group, and so on. When evaluating the potential of the Community Based Tourism Management based on theories and concepts, it can be concluded as follows:

1)  In terms of attraction, it found out that Baan Hong Hae has unique integrated agriculture, which suitable for agricultural tourism with the outstanding projects such as Black-boned chicken, local chicken, layer breeder chicken, herb gathering, Local Wisdom Learning Center, Pesticide residue free vegetables, fish and bird farms, Reed Mat Learning Center, and Reed field.

2) In terms of accessibility, the road to access the village has the minibus running every 30 minutes, from 05.30 am to 05.30 pm, and also the motorbike service with the cost from 20 to 150 Thai Baht. 

3) In terms of amenity, it found out that there is no restaurant, pub, bank, post office, hospital, or clinic in the village, anyway, these places can be found in the distance about 4 kilometers, which takes 4-5 minutes on traveling. 

4) In terms of accommodation, it found out that there is no accommodation, hotel, resort, guesthouse or homestay in the village. However, there is the accommodation service in the area of Mae Fah Luang, which is 5-10 kilometers away from the village. 

5) In terms of activity, it found out that the activities in the community are Reed plantation, Reed harvesting, Reed mat weaving, rice plantation, rice harvesting, bamboo weaving, fertilizer making, bicycling, fishing, massaging, hot press massaging, herbal steaming, rice berry parachute, and also other activities in the nearby area of 15-20 kilometers which are bird watching, fishing, Tree Top walk at Doi Tung and so on. 

6) In terms of Ancillary, it found out that the community lacks of marketing planning and information providing. Anyway, the community has high potential in other aspects, such as policy planning, facilitation and life safety.

The result of the development of Community Based Tourism Management of Baan Hong Hae showed that in order to develop the village into the tourism village, it has been developed by set up the tourism committee of the village. Then they set up the deployment process by analyzing the potential of the community and studied the village models such as Baan Sun Tang Luang, Baan Tha Khan Thong, and Doi Sa-ngo, Chiang Saen District to see the differences of concepts, the community exchanged the experiences and discussed to have knowledge and understanding in the community based tourism. The community applied the knowledge and concept of tourism development according to the style of Baan Hong Hae community by choosing the potential of the community to define the points for the study trip or sight-seeing such as Integrated Agriculture, herbal gathering, compounding herbal medicine, Black-boned chicken breeding, making bloom, making compress ball, fish farming, local chicken breeding, local basketry group, local wisdom learning center, rice mill, reed mat group and making fertilizer demonstration. After that, the trial was scheduled to do half-day tour for 2 tour programs. The people in the community were trained to be the local guide. However, the development potential of the homestay will further develop the project gradually supported by their own community‘s capabilities and readiness.