Knowledge Management of Mural Painting at Wat Phochai, Napueng Village, Na Haew District, Loei Province

Abstract

This research is the qualitative research aiming to 1) study the processes of knowledge management of mural Painting at Wat Phochai; and 2) study the body of knowledge acquired from the knowledge management of mural painting at Wat Phochai, Napueng Village, Na Haew District, Loei Province. The target group for collecting data comprised 12 informants who were local scholars, culturalists and local education academics, and a group of tourism interpreters. The research tools were documentary review, interview, data recording form, and focus group conversation.  The obtained data were analyzed using content analysis. The results were as follows. 1) The knowledge management of mural painting at Wat Phochai in order to apply the body of knowledge for developing tourism management and learning consisted of 7 steps: (1) indicate knowledge; (2) create and search for knowledge, (3) manage the knowledge systematically; 4) process and screen; (5) access to knowledge; (6) share and exchange knowledge; and (7) learn and use the knowledge. 2) The body of knowledge acquired from the knowledge management of mural painting at Wat Phochai revealed that mural painting on the wall of the monastery hall at Wat Phochai was created in 1816 (B.E. 2359). The painting on the wall narrates the life of the Lord Buddha and the story of ten lives of the Lord Buddha, and it was created by the artist who is not a local resident. Meanwhile, the mural painting of the exterior wall narrates the local literatures, and the artists are from Na Pueng village and from Laos. The painting style is telling the story continuously all over the wall.