Promoting Guidelines for Community-Based Tourism Management in Muang Uthai Thani District, Uthai Thani Province

Abstract

            This research aimed to analyze the potential of communities in managing tourism and to propose guidelines for promoting community-based tourism management in Muang Uthai Thani District, Uthai Thani Province. A mixed methods research approach was employed, involving a Quantitative survey of 400 Thai tourists selected through Quota Sampling in six sub-districts (Nong Kae, Uthai Mai, Sakae Krang, Don Khwang, Tha Sung, and Nam Suem), complemented by qualitative interviews with 18 key informants comprising community leaders, community enterprise members, and representatives of partner organizations. The research instruments consisted of structured questionnaires and in-depth interview guides.

            The findings revealed that 1) the capacity for community-based tourism management in Muang Uthai Thani District was at a high level. Notably, the aspect with the highest mean score was tourism resources and attractions, supported by influential individuals such as monks from Wat Tha Sung, community leaders, local scholars, and youth guides, who collectively foster ethics, community identity, and information services. Key resources include renowned sites such as Wat Tha Sung, the Sakae Krang River, Roo Jai Market - the Walking Street, Baan Suan Look Chaem - organic farms, and homestays authentically reflect local identity while remaining accessible and valuable to visitors. 2) Guidelines for promoting community-based tourism management were derived from SWOT and TOWS matrix analyses. The district's strengths include its rich tourism resources, culture, and skilled community members, whereas its weaknesses are limited infrastructure and a restricted scope of activities. The proposed guidelines emphasize designing short travel routes linking Wat Tha Sung with community enterprises, enhancing infrastructure and multilingual promotional media, utilizing local wisdom to create experiential activities, and encouraging participatory planning and ongoing training through community action plans and capacity-building workshops to ensure sustainable competitiveness.