Asian Culture and History; Vol. 6, No. 2; 2014 ISSN 1916-9655 E-ISSN 1916-9663 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education A Model for the Management of Cultural Tourism at Temples in Bangkok, Thailand Phra Thanuthat Nasing1, Chamnan Rodhetbhai1 & Ying Keeratiburana1 1 The Faculty of Cultural Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang Sub-District, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province, Thailand Correspondence: Phra Thanuthat Nasing, The Faculty of Cultural Science, Mahasarakham University, Khamriang Sub-District, Kantarawichai District, Maha Sarakham Province 44150, Thailand. E-mail:
[email protected] Received: May 20, 2014 Accepted: June 12, 2014 Online Published: June 26, 2014 doi:10.5539/ach.v6n2p242 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ach.v6n2p242 Abstract This qualitative investigation aims to identify problems with cultural tourism in nine Thai temples and develop a model for improved tourism management. Data was collected by document research, observation, interview and focus group discussion. Results show that temples suffer from a lack of maintenance, poor service, inadequate tourist facilities, minimal community participation and inefficient public relations. A management model to combat these problems was designed by parties from each temple at a workshop. The model provides an eight-part strategy to increase the tourism potential of temples in Bangkok: temple site, safety, conveniences, attractions, services, public relations, cultural tourism and management. Keywords: management, cultural tourism, temples, Thailand, development 1. Introduction When Chao Phraya Chakri deposed King Taksin of the Thonburi Kingdom in 1982, he relocated the Siamese capital city to Bangkok and revived society under the name of his new Rattanakosin Kingdom (Prathepweti, 1995). Although royal monasteries had been commissioned much earlier in Thai history, there was a particular interest in their restoration during the reign of the Rattanakosin monarchs.