KHMER TEMPLES OF NORTHEAST THAILAND: A PROPOSED PLAN FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT By Thirachaya Maneenetr A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2007 KHMER TEMPLES OF NORTHEAST THAILAND: A PROPOSED PLAN FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT By Thirachaya Maneenetr A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism (International Program) Graduate School SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY 2007 The Graduate school, Silpakorn University has approved and accredited the Thesis title of “Khmer Temples of Northeast Thailand: A Proposed Plan for Tourism Development” submitted by Ms.Thirachaya Maneenetr as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism. …………….……………………………………… (Associate Professor Sirichai Chinatangkul, Ph.D.) Dean of Graduate School …………/…………./…………. The Thesis Advisor Professor William R. Chapman, D.Phil. The Thesis Examination Committee …………………………………………………. Chairman (Professor Emeritus Trungjai Buranasomphob, Ph.D.) ………….…/……….……./……….……. …………………………………………………. Member (Professor William R. Chapman, D.Phil.) ……………/……………./………………. …………………………………………………. Member (Assist.Prof. Piboon Jinawath, Ph.D.) ……………/……………./………………. b 47056951: ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE MANAGEMENT AND TOURISM KEY WORDS: CULTURAL HERITAGE, CULTURAL TOURISM, TOURISM DEVELOPMENT THIRACHAYA MANEENETR: KHMER TEMPLES OF NORTHEAST THAILAND: A PROPOSED PLAN FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. THESIS ADVISOR: PROF.WILLIAM R. CHAPMAN, D.Phil, 301 pp. This research is aimed at studing the Khmer temples of Northeast Thailand in order to propose a plan for tourism development. Seven Khmer temple sites were chosen, located in four provinces in the northeastern area of Thailand. These include Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Surin and Si Sa Ket Provinces; and the temple sites of Prasat Phimai, Prasat Phanom Rung, Prasat Mueang Tam, Prasat Ta Muean Group, Prasat Si Khoraphum, Prasat Sa Kamphaeng Yai and Prasat Phra Wihan. From this study, the researcher attempted to use the concept of cultural tourism as a key in the conservation of the value and significance of the architectural heritage and cultural landscape of Khmer sites. The cultural tourism approach also attempts to take into account both tangible and intangible values surrounding the sites for sustainable tourism. The objective of the study is to promote the significance of Thailand’s Khmer sites with a view to improving accessibility for visitors. The aim is to provide the local community a well managed interpretation and conservation program for each important site and highlight their unique characteristics in a way that will help preserve them for future generations. A further aim of this study is to better present the Khmer sites of Northeast Thailand as part of a cultural panorama and to create a management plan for cultural tourism and sustainable tourism development. The study also accentuates a program of conservation enlisting local communities and the tourism industry to promote site protection and a better understanding of cultural heritage. In terms of tourism, the information derived from this research will be used to develop an appropriate management program that is best suitable to visitors, with the purpose of facilitating their ability and opportunity to discover new knowledge about Khmer arts and culture in Thailand. This will help visitors to develop a better understanding and appreciation. Furthermore, this research can also help find solutions to some of the existing problems among visitors to Thailand and the affect they have on local residents by fostering improved cooperation among all involved stakeholders i.e. local authorities, central government agents, local residents and visitors, in order to manage the local cultural heritage appropriately for its sustainable existence throughout subsequent generations. Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism, Graduate School, Silpakorn University, Academic year 2007 Student’s signature…………………………………………………………………… Thesis Advisor’s signature……………..……………………………………….….… c Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Professor Dr.William R. Chapman of the University of Hawai’i at Manoa for his overall guidance and insights during the entire period of my research. My gratitude also goes to Professor Dr.Trungjai Buranasomphob, Director of the International Program in Architectural Heritage Management and Tourism at Silpakorn University for her assistance and suggestion throughout my period of study and my other advisor, Assist.Prof.Sunon Palakavong Na Ayudhya and Assist.Prof. Dr.Piboon Jinawath for the very kind assistance and useful advice that helped make completion of this work possible. Additionally, my thanks and gratitude go to all the faculty of the program along with my classmates. Indeed, this research would not have been possible without the valuable information and opinions provided from interviews with many key informants and I would like to thank all of them for giving their personal time to grant the interviews. Personally, I would like to thank my family – my mother, my husband and my dearest daughter – Mukk, who have loved, cared for, cooperated with, inspired and encouraged me when my spirits and morale were low. Lastly, I deeply thank God for all His blessings and for making me realize that this prolonged sojourn for a Ph.D. is finally coming to an end. d Table of Contents Page Abstract……………………………………………….………………………….… c Acknowledgments…………………………………….…………………………… d List of Tables………………………………………….…………………………… j List of Figures………………………………………….………….……………….. l Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................................. 1 Statements and significance of the problem………….……………… 1 Research problem……………………………….……………… 1 Background on Khmer and other sites of Northeast Thailand..... 2 Background on present tourism infrastructure…………….…… 7 Goals and objectives…………………………………………….…… 9 Hypothesis……………………………………….……..……….….... 9 Scope of the study……………………………….…………....…...… 10 Process of the study………………………………………………….. 10 Research methodology……………………………….…………….… 10 Documentation research………………………….…….………. 10 Survey research………………………………………..………. 11 Qualitative research………………………………………….… 11 Data analysis……………………………………….……….….. 11 Key concepts and assumptions………………………..….………...... 11 Definitions………………………………………………..……...........12 2 The Tourism System.................................................................................... 14 The concept of tourism……………………………..……..………..... 14 Definition of tourism…………………………………..…...………....14 Meaning of cultural tourism and sustainable tourism………….….…. 15 Cultural heritage and tourism……………………………………..….. 17 The principle of successful cultural tourism……………………….… 18 Encourage public awareness of the heritage………………….... 18 Manage the dynamic relationship………………………….…... 18 Ensure a worthwhile visitor experience………………….......… 19 Involve and provide benefits for the local community……….... 19 The tourism system…………………………………………...……… 20 The demand side – tourist markets……………………..………….… 21 Tourist market features………………………….……..….….... 21 Defining the “tourist”……………………………………….….. 22 Tourist behaviour………………………………………...…….. 23 Factors influencing tourists’ characteristics and buying behaviour…………………………………………….… 24 Psychological factors……………………………...……... 25 Cultural factors………………………………………….... 30 Social factors……………………………………………... 30 Personal factors……………………………..…….…….... 30 Travel purpose…………………………………………… 31 The tourist decision process: post purchase evaluation….….…. 31 The supply side – tourism products……………..……….………..…. 32 Definition of tourism products…………………….……..…..… 32 e Chapter Page Tourist destination…………………………...………………… 32 The concept of tourist destination……………….………. 33 Definition of tourist destination…………..…..…….….… 33 The components of tourist destination…………..….……..…… 33 Attractions…………………………………..…….…..….. 34 Facilities, reception and services………………………… 35 Accessibility………………………….………..……….… 35 Image and the attitudes of tourist……………………..….. 36 Cost/ price to the customer………….……….……..……..36 The nature of tourism product…………………………...…..…. 37 Service – orientation………………………..………….… 37 Inseparability………………………………..…..…..….... 37 Intangibility…………………………………...………..… 38 Perish – ability……………………………….…………... 38 Interdependence…………………………..….…………... 38 3 Site Information…………………………………………..…..…………… 39 Thailand and information tourism…………………………………… 39 Land and people……………………………………………….. 39 Tourism in Thailand………………………………….……..…. 42 Historical background of Thai tourism……..….……....… 43 Tourism Authority of Thailand…………….….……..….. 45 The responsibility of Tourism Authority of Thailand….... 46 Ministry of Tourism and Sports………………………..… 47 The responsibility of Ministry of Tourism and Sports........48 Khmer temples of Northeast Thailand…………...………………...… 49 Angkor and the Khmer empire…………………….…………... 49 Funan, Chenla and Khmer architecture……….………….….… 50 The southern Isan region…………………….……..….……..… 55 Khmer background………………………………………. 55 Construction of stone sanctuaries……………….……..… 57 The religions of the ancient Khmer………...…….….…... 58 Characteristics and types of stone architecture…….…..… 59 Nakhon Ratchasima and Prasat Phimai………...................…...