TOWARDS SUSTAIN• Background : Geographic and ABLE ECO-CULTURAL Economic Conditions of Thai• TOURISM FOR WATER• land BASED SETTLEMENTS The Settlements and towns along the ON THE BANKS OF banks, river canals CHAO PHRAYA RIVER : and islands constitute a unique cultural ,CASE STUDY heritage and national identities. With PROV• such characteristics, many water- based settlements on the bank of the Chao INCE, Phraya River are attracting and welcom• ing the tourist industry. Therefore how Suwattana ThadanitP the objective of this research is to de• termine water- based communities can Abstract achieve a practical format sustainable eco-cultural tourism and benefit from "Ko Kret" is a small island of 4.12 the endevour is the objective of the pa• square kilometres in the Chao Phraya per. This study observe "Ko Kret" as a River. The community of Ko Kret is a case study traditional settlement with historical value and identity. The residents are Thailand is located within the northern mainly from the Mon ethnic group, and tropical Zone between 5° and 21° lati• have preserved their culture as ex• tudes at the center of the Indochina Pen• pressed beautifully through their insula. It has an area of approximately lifestyle, architecture and cultural activi• 514,000 square kilometres. The geo• ties, including temples, ancient houses, graphical outline ofthe country may be the style of settlement and the pottery compared to an axe or a pork chop with artwork. At present, community devel• the Malay Peninsula as the handle. The opment as well as cultural and art con• maximum distance from north to south servation facilitate tourism on this is• is approximately 1,648 kilometres, and land. Ifthe Ko Kret community can both from east to west is 806 kilometres. The display its way of life and manage the country has about 740 kilometres of impact of tourism then Ko Kret can be coastline on the western side ofthe pen• protected as a living historic gem of the insula . Thailand has common frontiers Chao Phraya River. with Laos on the north and east, with the Union ofMyanmar on the north and west, and with the Kingdom of Cambo• I . An Assistant Professor at the Department dia (Khmer Republic) on the south and ofUrban and Regional Planning. Faculty of east . The peninsula of Thailand is Architecture, University, bounded on the south by Malaysia and , Thailand partially on the west above 10° latitude by the Union of Myanmar. /

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Economic development in Thailand has prominent bend in the ri ver. The canal been guided by a sequence offive- year was cut in 1772 during the time ofKing plans since 1961. The government has Taisa of the Ayutthaya Era. At that time, attempted to create the necessary con• the land that was seperated by the canal ditions for the private sector to partici• did not form an island in the real sense pate in economic development and of the word, because the original "Lad growth. A high level of Economic Kret" was only a narrow passage. As the growth has occured since 1960, with per current forced a change in the direction capita income doubling between 1960 of the river over time, the canal widen to 1981. The overall average growth rate due to erosion and the characteristics of is estimated to be 5.5 percent. The an island were discernable, and the is• economy is based on agriculture and its land of Ko Kret. main export is rice. However, among sectors of production, agriculture has Originally, Ko Kret was a home for a seen the smallest share of the increas• small number of the ethnic Thai popu• ing gross national product. Sectors out• lation. Beginning in the time of King side agriculture have become the impor• Rama II of the Chakri dynasty, Ko Kret tant revenue generators, especially became the settlement for migrants of manufacturing utilities, banking, and the Mon ethnic group which was pur• services. Bangkok, the primate city, sued by the Myanmar King. Since the dominates all other urban areas of the time of the Mon migration, Ko Kret has country and exerts a major influence on become a lively and growing commu• the national economy. With a popula• nity based on its major occupation, pot• tion of some 8.8 million in 1995, the tery. Bangkok Metropolitan Region accounts for 45 percent ofThailand's urban popu• The Settlement and the Culture lation and 16 percent of total popula• tion. Ko Kret settlement has long been char• acterized by households that are densely Between 1985 and 1994, half of the to• located along the edge of the island, due tal national growth was due to economic to the need of water for household and activity in the Bangkok Metropolitan agriculture use. The majority of the Region. With trade and industrializati on population is engaged in agriculture. policies directed to stimulate growth, 58 The spatial location of the Mon settle• percent of all non- agriculture; economic ment was determined by the location of growth was generated only in the the Mon temple, which maintains not Bangkok Metropolitan Region. only ethnic identity, but also spiritual support. The households are clustered History around major landmarks such as temples and schools. The clusters ofhouseholds "Ko Kret" is a small island with 4.12 are small and some households are scat• square kilometres in the Chao Phraya tered among agricultural land. These River. The island was man-made, as a characteristics make Ko Kret a semi ru• result ofc utting a canal to make a short• ral-urban community. Its members have cut in transport and communication at a a simple way of life, in which commu-

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nity members know one another well fringe of municipality. While and help each other in times of need. the has been quickly The simple way of life persists despite and highly urbanized, the Ko Kret sub• the growth of the local industry. district has seen little change in terms of the physical development. The people of Ko Kret share the same culture as that of the population of Cen• The importance of BMR to the tral Thailand. However, Ko Kret people Country also have their own Mon culture which is distinct and firmly maintained. On the During the last decade all national eco• important religious days or occasions, nomic growth in Thailand was due to such as Songkran (water festival) and acti vity in the BMA. Bangkok (BMA) the end of the buddhist Ients., there are is the main center for industrialization various plays and traditional Mon clas• and the country's foreign trade. The sical dances that have been passed on BMA, therefore, has become the seat of from generation to generation. Another much of the Kingdom's rapid develop• cultural heritage is handicrafts. At first, ment over the past two decades. The the crafts produced from clay were use• effi ciency of Bangkok refl ects upon fu l household items such as cooking Thailand's international competitive pots, in a variety of designs and forms. position, ensuring the city will continue This provided income for the Ko Kret to grow. Urban development in the capi• people. Overtime, clay, the traditional tal has outgrown the administrative material for cooking pots, was replaced boundary of the BMA. There is no clear by metal and plastic as result of the division between the built-up area of the modernization process. In response to BMA and the contiguous development changes, the form of the pottery was in the surrounding provinces. Thus, adjusted to the taste and requirements onthaburi municipality, a smal l of the modern time. At present, the most townwhich is onl y 20 kms. from popular products are pot plant contain• Bangkok has been the most important ers, but the shaping of clay still exists as a cultural heritage to be maintained 2 onthaburi is situated in a fertite basin on and passed on. Ko Kret pots are known the bank of the Chao Phraya River. This for their fine, red-black glazed surface abundant town is full offru it and flower plan• and intricate design. tations as well as historical temples. The town is only 20 kms. From Bangkok and is conveniently accessible by road or river. KoKret in the Context of Nonthaburi can be found in history as a part Bangkok Metropolitan of the . It was consoli• Region(BMR) dated with Bangkok in 1943 and reestab• lished as a province in 1946. Nonthaburi oc• cupies an area of622 square kilometres and Ko Kret is a subdistrict of Pak Kret is administratively divided into six districts which is one of six distri cts of : Mueang Nonthaburi, Pak Kret, Bang Kruai, 1 onthaburi Province , with a population Bang Bua Thong, Bang Yai and Sai oi. of 6,093, Ko Kret forms a small com• munity and plays a role as the rural

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recipient of the urban invasion from opment onto highly productive farm Bangkok. land; excessive infrastructure provision and ' lie-in-wait' vacant land within and Urbanization Process and Growth around the built-up areas. Direction of BMA Considering the growth corridors of Thailand is classified as one of the less• Bangkok, the urban intrusion flow in urbanized countries in the Southeast seven directions to the BMR according Asian Region. Around 73% ofthe popu• to the main roads. The 7 corridors in• lation is scattered throughout the rural clude:- hinterlands. However, Bangkok, the capital, is clearly classified as a primate - The northern corridor following the city. The area of Bangkok is only 0.29 Vipawadi road toward Pathum % of the whole area, but, in 1986, con• Thani and Ayutthaya provinces; stituted about 11 %of the national popu• lation or 69 % of urban population. Its - The northeastern corridor expanding growth rate was 3.8% compared with toward province,( out of 2.5 % of the whole kingdom. Popula• BMR); tion density in Bangkok is, on the aver• 2 - The eastern corridor expanding toward age of3,700 persons per km • Chachoengsao; Unlike cities in developed countries, commercialization, not industrialization, - The southeastern corridor expanding is a major factor for Bangkok's growth. toward Samut Prakan; Due to its prime geographic setting in the hub of the country, major domestic - The southwestern corridor expanding products are flown to Bangkok; and in• toward Samut Prakan; dustrial products and imported goods are distributed throughout the country - The western corridor expanding to• through Bangkok. The city is indeed the ward ; transportation center not only with-in the country; but also within this region. - The northwestern corridor expanding Subsequently, a lot of tertiary economic toward Nonthaburi. activities are generated to help maintain and develop the growth of the city. Problems of Ko Kret Bangkok's growth can be seen in two respects, namely, the growth of built-up Before the economic crisis of Thailand ' areas and population growth. Consider• Ko Kret had faced many problems. Sev- ing the growth, developed areas, have eral because very serious at the begin• grown considerably in the last three de• ning of the economic crisis of the coun• cade. The growth pattern is best de• try in 1996. These problems can be scribed as urban sprawl and ribbon de• grouped into fi ve aspects: (I) infrastruc• velopment. The effects of the growth ture; (ii) land use; (iii) economic; (iv) pattern include: the intrusion of devel- social; and (v) environmental.

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Infrastructure problems Economic problems -Transport problems. It was difficult to reach the mainland and boats were the -While the agricultural land comprised only means of transportation. In addi• the majority of the land area, it could tion, the conditions of the roads on the not bring in the highest proportion of island which had been constructed a income to the people; long time ago were in need of repair; -The pottery industry, though not faced -Lack of electricity. The households that with serious problems to the extent that were scattered among agricultural areas factories had to be closed down, was not did not have access to electricity because growing as quickly as before. electric poles had not been constructed to reach these areas; Social problems

-Lack of drinking water. The majority The most serious problems found were of residents uses rain water that they drugs and gambling. collected during the rainy season and some households used drilled under• Environmental problems ground water, which was insufficient for the whole year's use. Water for house• Most were water-related such as flood• hold use was taken from the river and ing, and water pollution. Siltration of canals, but at that time the water was canals, lowered quality ofsoils, garbage, unusable due to pollution from garbages noise pollution and air pollution. and community sewage. Tourism Development in Ko Kret Land use problems Eco-tourism was recommended as the -Of the total land area, agricultural land strategy to develop Ko Kret Island. Its accounts for the highest proportion of tourism potential was indicated in 1993 land. However, agriculture is not the by the researchers from the Environmen• major nor popular occupation; the ma• tal Research Institute ofChulalongkom jority of agricultural land was left un• University who worked for the Tourism used; Authority of Thailand (TAT). The tour• ism plan provided in 1993 was not -The settlement of households in certain implemented until 1998, when the cen• areas was too dense, which made them tral government (by TAT) announced at risk of fire; "Amazing Thailand" for tourism promo• tion. It is accepted that "tourism" must -The pottery factories posed a number be one of the tools of the country to al• of negative effects on the community. leviate the economic crisis. The policy was adopted and practiced by Mr. -The heat and smoke from the pottery Wacharin Rojanapanit the sheriff or kilns raised the temperature and reduced ''Nai " of Pak Kret District at the natural oxygen.

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Historical Value & Identity of Ko Kret

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that time. He was successful in organiz• the U-bosoth building, there are beauti• ing the collaboration among Ko Kret ful mural paintings in the Thai style. The people. This established the colabor• temple has it own small museum dis• ation between the community and the playing some personal effects of King government through the mediator, the Rama V. sheriff. No one can deny the charming attraction of Ko Kret itself. The his• Wat Phai Lorm torical value and identities of Ko Kret co-habitation are as follows: The first wat built by the . It is the most beautiful in Ko Kret. It !.The "living together" of ethnic groups contains the finest U-bosoth and an includings, Mon (43 %), Thai and Chi• unique chedi. nese-Thai(42 %) and Moslem(l5 %) create cultural of the island. Wat Sao thongthong

2.The residents of the Mon community This wat was built in 1770 and restored have preserved their culture and exposed during the reign of king Rama IV. The it beautifully through the way they live, name of the wat was given the name architecture and cultural activities, e.g. because a special post decorated with a Temples, ancient house and settlement golden swan at the top resides there. A styles. swan or "Hong" represents "Hongsawadee" the former capital of 3.The pottery artworks of the Mon are the Mon people. very finely crafted. Wat Yai Sawang Arom 4.The riverine and canal settlement, the natural environment, and especially, the This wat is located west, on the main• friendly and sincere welcome of the Ko land ofKo Kret, Krom Phra Wachirayan Kret people to visitors is the intrinsic waroros gave it the name in 1920 when tourism attraction. he rested there for 1 7 days. The name means "very happy or satisfied." A re• Some Sites to Visit at Ko Kret markable aspect is that thousands offish scramble over each other when given Wat Poramaiyikavas food. Giving food to the fish is done for merit and amusement. Mon people treasure this wat as the cen• tre of their merit making and festivals. Pottery-making It .is also thedepository of the Buddhist Scripture in Mon language: "Phra adopted the Mon Nonthamunin", the official Buddha earthen water pot as its symbol for the statue of Nonthaburi and a Chedi (pa• provincial logo due to it's intricate, ex• goda) in Mon style, the symbol of the quisite and fine craftsmanship. This wat. It was built in 1774 during the reign craft preserved the Mon traditions and of King Taksin the Great and still stands culture, since the majority of Ko Kret distinctly at the bank of the river. Inside

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Mons are involve in this industry. References Perchasing this artwork is disarable for those who want to remember Ko Kret. Pi rom, Ed ( ed. ). 199l.Koh Kret, wat Poramai Yigaram, october 1999. Conclusion and Recommenda• tion Denpaiboon,Chaweewan and Mamoru Tohiguchi.2000. Aquatic Habitation in The community on Ko Kret is a tradi• Bangkok during the 18'" to 20'" Centu• tional settlement within the Bangkok ries : The Development and Disappear• Metropolitan Region. It is located at the ance of the Raft House (Ruan Pae), Ar• fringe of the growing Pak Kret town. chitecture Institute of Japan. The tourism development can be ex• pected to be increased in terms of both Thadaniti,Suwattana. 1999. The Story of the number of tourists and the entertain• Yannawa : a New Central Business Dis• ment activities. At present, tourism on trict in the Old Inner Zone ofBangkok , this island can be regarded for the com• Thailand, a paper submitted for inter• munity development as well as the cul• national Seminar on Special research tural and art conservation. With the in• conunittee on Historic City and Hous• come from tourism, the people enjoy the ing, Kyoto, Japan 5-7 November 1999. positive economic impacts. Faculty of Social Sciences and humani• Since Ko Kret is a peaceful sanctuary ties, Mahidol University. The Opinion for urban dwellers who want to be away oflocal People Regarding the Policy of very quickly leave the urban calamity, Tourism Promotion at Koh Kret. the number of tourists might exceed the Amphur pak Kret, Nonthaburi, 1999. capacity of the island. Tourism could possibly be over conunercialized. Lead• The Officer of Community Develop• ing to the end of tourism within the ment, Pak Kret Di strict, Tourism Infor• frame of respect, appreciation and mation, Pak Kret, Nonthaburi province, friendship. When tourists become boss 1999. ' the sustainable development and conser- vation of this settlement can not exist. Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourist To prevent that unwanted situation an Attractions in the Central Region, Amaz• ' attitude of restraint and self-sufficiency ing Thailand, January 1999. should be realized, as a part of the eco• nomic development concept. If, public Tourist Services Center, Nonthaburi, participation in the tourism development Explore Nonthaburi by Boat, Canal and ofKo Kret continues to be promoted by River Tours, Nonthaburi, 1999. the government, residents can be a part of the process and Ko Kret can be pro• Lim, William SW (ed.).1991. Architec• tected as the living historic gem of the ture and Development in , Chao Phraya River. Special Solidarity Issue, No. 131 - 132, July - December 1991.

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