The Intergration of Cultural and Natural Heritage Values for Sustainable Tourism in Koh Kred, Nonthaburi Province
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THE INTERGRATION OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE VALUES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN KOH KRED, NONTHABURI PROVINCE. By Pairin Wechtunyagul A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILISOPHY Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2008 THE INTERGRATION OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE VALUES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN KOH KRED, NONTHABURI PROVINCE. By Pairin Wechtunyagul A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILISOPHY Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2008 The Graduate School, Silpakorn University has approved and accredited the Thesis title of “The Intergration of Cultural and Natural Heritage Values for Sustainable Tourism in Koh Kred, Nonthaburi Province.” submitted by Ms.Pairin Wechtunyagul as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philisophy in Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism ……........................................................................ (Associate Professor Sirichai Chinatangkul,Ph.D.) Dean of Graduate School ........../..................../.......... The Thesis Advisor Corazon Catibog-Sinha, Ph.D. The Thesis Examination Committee .................................................... Chairman (Professor Emeritus Trungjai Buranasomphob, Ph.D.) ............/......................../.............. .................................................... Member (Pimmada Wichasin, Ph. D.) ............/......................../.............. .................................................... Member (Corazon Catibog-Sinha, Ph.D.) ............/......................../.............. 48056963 : MAJOR : ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM KEY WORD : CULTURE/ NATURE/ HERITAGE/ SUSTAINABLE TOURISM/ VALUE/ CONSERVATION PAIRIN WECHTUNYAGUL : THE INTERGRATION OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE VALUES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN KOH KRED, NONTHABURI PROVINCE. THESIS ADVISOR : CORAZON CATIBOG-SINHA, Ph.D. 157 pp. A study of the cultural and natural heritage features, as well as the perceived values of these features by the local community within the context of sustainable tourism, was conducted in Koh Kred, a tiny man-made island in the Chao Phraya River, located in Pak Kred district in Nonthaburi, Thailand. The objectives of the study are as follows: (1) to determine and describe the cultural and natural heritage features of Koh Kred; (2) to determine the tangible and intangible values of these features as perceived by the local residents; (3) to assess the perceived changes in the cultural and natural features of the study area over time. The study also attempted to establish the relationships between cultural heritage features with natural heritage features in the context of the emerging tourism in Koh Kred. The study also determined the positive and negative impacts of tourism on the cultural and natural heritage of the island. Finally, some management recommendations on how best to conserve and/or integrate the site’s cultural and natural heritage values in order to achieve sustainable tourism were made. This researcher collected data, using qualitative research method and descriptive statistics, about the cultural and natural heritage values in the context of sustainable tourism. The questionnaire survey consisted of multiple choice answers and open-ended questions. The empirical data on the cultural and natural heritage features were derived from answers given by local residents, including the potters and the Buddhist monks (n= 100 respondents). Results were also derived from several in-depth interviews of some local residents. The majority (73%) of respondents (Mon, Thai, Mon-Thai ethnic groups) have resided on Koh Kred for more than 40 years. The study identified and described the cultural heritage and natural heritage features of the island. The cultural heritage features consist of local house, cluster of pagodas of Wat Sao Thong Tong, Buddhist temple, Principal Buddha statue, long-tailed boat, Mon dancing, local cuisine, Mon pottery, Mon festival, Mon costume, declining pagoda of Poramai Yikawat temple, Khun Thep Phakdi building, and Mon language. The natural heritage features include the Chao Praya River, rubber trees, mud, natural landscape, and agricultural/horticultural crops. The linkages of these features with each, based on the perceived values of the local residents, were found to be positive. The integration of cultural assets with those of the natural assets is a crucial element in sustainable tourism, particularly in the maintenance of cultural integrity and natural resource conservation. The local residents placed great importance to features related to religion, festivals including objects and activities linked to their religion, and pottery. Mon dancing and costume were ranked relatively low, and this may be due to the influence of modernization. The Mon language, however, seems to be considered more important than either the Mon dancing and costume. The natural heritage features on Koh Kred, notably the agricultural crops, the Chao Phaya River, and the natural landscape, were considered valuable. The study explored the positive negative impacts of tourism. Management should address these impacts to ensure that the cultural and natural integrity of Koh Kred is maintained and should also implement, where appropriate, regulatory and rehabilitation measures. These measures will ensure the sustainability of tourism on the island for the benefits of the present and future generations. Program of Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism Graduate School, Silpakorn University Academic Year 2008 Student's signature ........................................ Thesis Advisor's signature ........................................ c Acknowledgments The completion of this dissertation required the cooperation of many people. The author would like to thank the following individuals for their review and for their helpful suggestions. Firstly, I would to express my sincere appreciation to my dissertation supervisor, Dr. Corazon Catibog – Sinha. Without her support, this dissertation would not have been completed. Further, my sincerest thanks are extended to the dissertation committee members for their valuable guidance on the dissertation proposal. Many thanks are also due to the target respondents who answered the questionnaires. I am grateful to all my close friends for their direct and indirect help. Surely, without them this dissertation would not have been completed. Finally, I would like to extend special thanks to Suan Dusit Ratjabhat University for the fund allocation to complete this dissertation. d Table of Contents Page Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ c Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................ d List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. g List of Tables.................................................................................................................................... h Chapter 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background of the study............................................................................................... 1 Significance of the study .............................................................................................. 3 Aims and objectives of the study.................................................................................. 4 Hypothesis of the research............................................................................................ 4 Limitations of the study................................................................................................ 4 Scope of the study ........................................................................................................ 5 Definition of key terms................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2 Literature review ................................................................................................................. 7 Definition of Heritage................................................................................................... 7 Definition of Culture .................................................................................................... 8 The Cultural Heritage ................................................................................................... 10 Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage ................................................................... 11 The Elements of Cultural Heritage............................................................................... 12 Natural Heritage ........................................................................................................... 20 Natural Heritage and Tourism ...................................................................................... 21 The Definition of Value................................................................................................ 21 The Concept of Perception