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 Chao Phraya River banks, river canals CHAO PHRAYA RIVER : and islands constitute a unique cultural KO KRET,CASE STUDY heritage and national identities. With NONTHABURI PROV­ such characteristics, many water- based settlements on the bank of the Chao INCE, THAILAND 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, Chulalongkorn University, bounded on the south by Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand partially on the west above 10° latitude by the Union of Myanmar. / Downloaded from Brill.com09/28/2021 10:41:28AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofH umanities (Special lssue.No.3.2002) 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- 82 Downloaded from Brill.com09/28/2021 10:41:28AM via free access Towards Sustainable Eco-Cultural Tourism nity members know one another well fringe of Pak Kret municipality. While and help each other in times of need. the Pak Kret District 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 Ayutthaya Kingdom. 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 83 Downloaded from Brill.com09/28/2021 10:41:28AM via free access MANUSYA: Journal ofHuman ities (Special Jssue.No. 3.2002) 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.