BUDDHIST METHOD FOR PROMOTING CULTURAL TOURISM OF SURAT THANI LOCAL ADMINISTARTIVE ORGANIZATIONS

Abstract

The objectives of this research article were as follows: 1. To study of cultural tourism management of local administrative organizations in Surat Thani Province 2. To study factors affecting the management of cultural tourism attractions by local administrative organizations in Surat Thani Province and 3. To present Buddhist methods for promoting the management of cultural tourism attractions in local administrative organizations in Surat Thani Province by applying the principles of Sappāya 4. The research model used mixed methods: The qualitative research data were collected by interviewing 18 key informants and analyzed by descriptive interpretation. The quantitative research by distributing questionnaires to 399 local people. Statistics used were percentage, mean, standard deviation, and stepwise multiple regression analysis.

Findings were as follows: 1. The cultural tourism management of local administrative organizations in Surat Thani Province, overall, was at high level. Each aspect was found to be at high levels, namely, the aspect of attraction and tourist receiving readiness. 2. Factors affecting the management of cultural tourism were found that: 1) factors affecting the management of cultural tourism in 4 aspects were at statistically significant level at 0.01 in the following orders: operational planning and rules and regulations, problem solving evaluation, tourism activities consideration and community management. 2)  Sappāya 4 affected cultural tourism management by statistically significant level at 0.01in the following orders: Avasasappāya; appropriate places, Pukkhalasappāya; Appropriate personnel, Ahara sappāya, appropriate food and Dhammasappāya; appropriate conversation. 3. The cultural tourism management by applying Sappāya 4 was found that the tourist attractions were clean, convenient, safe, accessible by all groups, hygienic food, cultural knowledge dissemination and implanting appreciation of local identity values.