"SWIFTLETS": GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTING SWIFTLET NEST FARMING CAREERS IN A CASE STUDY OF BAN RANG NOK THAI LEARNING CENTER, SA KAEO SUB-DISTRICT, THA SALA DISTRICT, NAKHON SI THAMMARAT PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this study aim to study: 1) Methods of swiftlet nest farming; 2) Problem conditions in swiftlet nest farming; 3) Guidelines for promoting swiftlet nest farming in a case study of Ban Rang Nok Thai Learning Center in Sa Kaeo Sub-district, Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. This study is qualitative research using purposive sampling. Key informants are eight people who directly farm swiftlet nest, including: 1) Swiftlet's nest producer group, a total of 2 people; 2) Swiftlet's nest cleaning assistant group, a total of 2 people; 3) Product supporter group, a total of 2 people; 4) Environmental promoter group, a total one person, and 5) Local administrative officer group, a total of 1 person. The questionnaire consisted of open-ended questions for in-depth interviews, which included the following five steps: 1) Demographic information of the interview respondents; 2) Information about methods of swiftlet nest farming; 3) Information about the problem conditions for swiftlet nest farming; 4) Information on guidelines for promoting the swiftlet nest farming; and 5) Information about suggestions. The results of the research found that: 1) Methods for swiftlet nest farming indicated; 1.1) Preparing to build a house for the birds to live in; 1.2) Preparing a sound system to call birds; 1.3) Preparing one picker to collect the swiftlet's nests; and 1.4) Sorting the quality of swiftlet's nests for sale: 2) Problems in swiftlet nest farming indicated that; 2.1) The farmer must watch out for swiftlets from snakes and falcons; 2.2) The farmer must maintain the environment of the house to be suitable for swiftlet nest farming; and 2.3) The competition is high: 3) Guidelines for promoting swiftlet nest farming were found that; 3.1) There are guidelines for promoting an appropriate environment; 3.2) There are guidelines for promoting learning how to farm swiftlet's nests; and 3.3) There are guidelines for promoting the development of swiftlet nest farming careers. Swiftlets eat nests in the community.