Creative Health Tourism Model Based on the Knowledge of Folk Medicine and The Local Wisdom, Pa Miang Sub-district, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the potential and situation of the creative health tourism of Pa Miang, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai. 2) to study the knowledge of folk medicine and local wisdom. 3) to study the opinions of tourists towards creative health tourism based on knowledge of folk medicine and local wisdom. 4) to create the creative health tourism model based on knowledge of folk medicine and local wisdom. This study was research and development. The research instruments were the semi- structure interviews with 15 local leaders, and community entrepreneurs and  scholars; the health tourism attraction evaluation form with 6 experts; recorded meeting with 50 local leaders, community entrepreneurs, health tourism executive and local experts, or folk medicine experts; tour program evaluation questionnaires with 97 tourists;  recorded meeting with 10 health tourism experts, business entrepreneurs and representatives from community-based tourism destinations.

The research results showed that 1) Doi Saket Hot Spring was the most potential health tourism destination in Pa Miang. 2) The community has folk medical wisdom on the use of traditional herbal medicines, Thai massage and faith healing. For health care wisdom and local food, the villagers grew and had a variety of herbs and vegetables. 3)The highlight of the tourism program was the tourism activities that created learning experiences by learning how to take care of your health based on the life elements, soaking onsen eggs, making onsen egg salad, learning local Tai Lue ethical way of life through eating local food and healthy beverages and making herbal compress keychains. 4) A creative health tourism management model consisting of local tourism resources base, community preparation process, the process of developing creative health tourism according to the concepts; (1) community-based tourism management, (2) health care according to individual characteristics (3) creative activity design.