1 SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM IN THE VILLAGE OF KHIRIWONG AND THE KHAO LUANG NATIONAL PARK, THAILAND by Kitsada Tungchawal A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Science Degree With a Major in Hospitality and Tourism Approved: 6 Semester Credits Leland L. Nicholls, Ph.D. Thesis Advisor Thesis Committee Members: Bob Davies, Ed.S. Kenneth Parejko, Ph.D. The Graduate College University of Wisconsin-Stout January, 2001 2 The Graduate College University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 ABSTRACT Tungchawal Kitsada (Writer) (Last Name) (First) Sustainable Ecotourism in the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park, Thailand (Title) Hospitality and Tourism Leland L. Nicholls, Ph.D. January, 2001 216 (Graduate Major) (Research Advisor) (Month/Year) (No. of Pages) American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual (Name of Style Manual Used in this study) Sustainable ecotourism is often considered to be effective for supporting the local communities’ economy and promoting the conservation of protected areas in developing countries. By establishing economic benefits for impoverished villagers or their communities, sustainable ecotourism is utilized to encourage local guardianship of natural resources. To assess sustainable ecotourism’s impact on the revenue of local residents in the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park, and its effects on the environmental preservation of the Khao Luang National Park in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, the researcher randomly conducted surveys of the visitors’ attitudes about rewarding experiences during their village and park visits. Biologists and Ecologists were interviewed about sustainable ecotourism’s role in supporting environmental preservation in the village and national park. Also, local residents in the village, as beneficiaries, were asked by the researcher to provide their perceptions about the relationship of sustainable ecotourism to cultural disruption. 3 To examine the sustainable ecotourism in the village and the national park and learn whether it provides the visitors with rewarding experiences, a qualitative research was conducted in the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park at Karom Unit, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. The visitors were asked to state their opinions via questionnaires after their village and national park visits. Sustainable ecotourism in the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park were investigated as to whether it helped support environmental conservation. The national park staff and the villagers were randomly selected for personal interviews by the researcher. A comprehensive literature review was conducted about tourism in protected areas, the tourists and ecotourists, host community and sustainable ecotourism, local attitudes, economic impacts, social impacts and environmental impacts caused by tourism, carrying capacity, tourism and sustainable development, and tourism and recreation in remote and sensitive destinations. The research methodology in this study centered upon on-site field observation and mailed and personal interview surveys. Visitors to the village and the national park were asked to complete the survey questionnaires, which were designed and prepared in Thai and English versions. Experts in environmental biology and ecology and local residents were interviewed by the researcher in person with the questions in both Thai and English. The survey was taken during the two-month stay in the village from September 6th to November 6th, 2000. After completing the data collection, the researcher brought the raw results to the United States of America for compilation and analysis. The survey information was analyzed to describe the sustainable ecotourism in the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park in terms of rewarding experiences, environmental preservation, social and 4 cultural impacts and economic benefits. Suggestions and recommendations about maintaining and improving sustainable ecotourism in the destinations were established by the findings. The findings were evaluated using proposed sustainable ecotourism elements in the village and park. Besides providing visitors rewarding experiences, sustainable ecotourism became an instrument in natural resource conservation such as water use. The village tourism brought benefits and income to most local residents with tourism involvement. The local residents agreed with the village and park tourism that they needed more education to support the village and park tourism. Tourism improved access, stimulated new services and conveniences like roads but social problems also could be found. Numerous implications for concessions, national park and protected areas management, local participation, relationships between the village and park, environmental and cultural impacts caused by tourism were discussed. 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To my grandmother-Mrs Thong-Jua Wongpanit, my parents- Mr Jumpol and Mrs Sudchit Tungchawal, my sisters-Ms Pornthip and Ms Atiporn Tungchawal, my aunt- Ms Nuan-Jan Yensudjai, Thailand. To my thesis advisor Professor Dr. Leland Nicholls and the committee members Dr. Kenneth Parejko and Professor Bob Davies in the Hospitality and Tourism Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. To all my other professors at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. To my host family in the Village of Khiriwong, Mrs Ajin Julakarn, Mr Theerapan Julakarn and his family. To Associate Professor Puang-Bu-Nga Poom-mi-panit at the Travel and Tourism Department, Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. To all my teachers at Prommanusorn School, Phetchaburi, Thailand. To Ajarn Boonchoo Seneewong Na Ayutthaya, Wat Don Kai Tia School, Phetchaburi, Thailand. To all my students majoring in Tourism (1998) at the Rajabhat Institute Phetchaburi. To all local residents at the Village of Khiriwong. To the professors in Ecology and Biology at the Rajabhat Institute Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. To the park staff of the Khao Luang National Park, at Karom Unit. To all friends at the Khao Kaew Community, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. To all visitors to the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park. To my American host family-Mr Cliff, Mrs Sharon and Mr Luke Abbate, Menomonie, Wisconsin. To all staff at the Price Commons, University of Wisconsin-Stout. To my Thai and other international friends at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. To all friends and colleagues at the Rajabhat Institute Phetchaburi, Thailand. To Mrs. Mary Jean Nicholls. To my alter ego friends-Sakda Kaothanthong, Arthit Pansaita, Uan Siriwan, Ple Saengduan, Aeh Jariya, Supapan, Jamari, Kae Yoothapoom, Niorn Srisomyong, Rosawan Pipitmethanon, Suwit Sritrairasri, Amy Hsueh, Joe Dhammadit, Lumb Puckdi, Jesse Hunter, David Theobald, Amy Kuznia, Dan Pfister, John Oman, Chai Jaturon, Por Morakot, Poy Duangrawee, etc. To Khun Jumpol Chadavadh, the Managing Director, P&O Regale Travel Co.,Ltd. Bangkok, Thailand. You Made My Day. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………….. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………….. v LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………… x LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………….. xiv LIST OF MAPS…………………………………………………………….…….. xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Introduction………………………………………………………………… 1 Research sites and geographical situations………………………………… 5 Statement of the problem…………………………………………………... 6 Potential benefits of the study …………………………………………….. 7 Conclusions………………………………………………………………… 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 9 Ecotourism and its role in sustainable development………………………. 10 Nature tourism and sustainable tourism…………………………………… 11 Rural areas…………………………………………………………………. 12 Tourism to protected areas………………………………………………… 13 Ecotourism…………………………………………………………………. 15 The tourist and the ecotourist……………………………………………… 17 Host country governments…………………………………………………. 19 Host community and sustainable tourism………………………………….. 20 Local attitudes……………………………………………………………… 22 Economic impacts…………………………………………………………. 23 Environmental impacts……………………………………………………. 23 Social impacts …………………………………………………………….. 24 Socio-cultural impacts……………………………………………………... 25 Carrying capacity………………………………………………………….. 26 Tourism and sustainable development….………………………………….. 27 Sustainability planning…………………………………………………….. 28 Tools for sustainability analysis in planning and managing tourism and recreation in the destination………………………………………….. 29 How to manage the social, environmental and cultural impacts of sustainable ecotourism………………………………………………… 30 Thailand and sustainable ecotourism……………………………………… 30 The Province of Nakhon Si Thammarat…………………………………… 31 The Khao Luang National Park……………………………………………. 37 The Village of Khiriwong………………………………………………….. 38 Conclusions………………………………………………………………… 49 7 Page CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The Khiriwong Village and the Khao Luang National Park study……….. 52 Instrument………………………………………………………….. 53 Procedures………………………………………………………….. 56 Survey questionnaires for the visitors to the Village of Khiriwong and the Khao Luang National Park and data analysis ………….. 57 Sample selection…………………………………………………… 58 Survey administration……………………………………………... 59 Interview questions for the experts in Biology and Ecology………. 61 Interview questions for the park staff of the Khao Luang National Park, at Karom Unit……………………………………………... 62 Sample selection…………………………………………………… 63 Survey