Knowledge of creative tourism management in golden triangle area, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province

Abstract

The study aimed at knowledge of creative tourism management in golden triangle area, Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province with the research questions as 1) how knowledge was used for knowledge management of creative tourism of Sob Ruak community in golden triangle area, and 2) ability to use the knowledge: how the community’s pattern of knowledge management was. Sample group consisted of thirty stakeholders including 1) three tourism entrepreneurs, 2) fifteen local people, 3) two government officers, and 4) ten tourists, both Thai tourists and foreigners. Qualitative research method was used to study the community potentials and sharing/learning on creative tourism between local people and stakeholders as well as to codify knowledge received from processes on knowledge management and to get new knowledge of knowledge management in golden triangle area.                                                  The study found that knowledge of creative tourism management in Sob Ruak community can be greatly applied for knowledge management of creative tourism in cultural tourist attractions in golden triangle area. The knowledge can be divided into four parts: 1) history of Sob Ruak community from the beginning to the age of development based on regionalism and the Special Border Economic Zone, such as economic cooperation frameworks, 2) tourism’s natural resources (e.g. Mekong River and Doi Sa Ngo) and material resources (e.g. historic site, temple and museum), 3) tourists in three main groups: same-day visitors, overnight visitors and visitors attended creative activities, and 4) Ban Sob Ruak’s community enterprise, such as crispy cassava group, fishing community, boat tour group and weaving group. The community enterprise effectively applied the knowledge for creative tourism in golden triangle area. The potential of using knowledge of creative tourism management in golden triangle area mainly depended on creative activities based on knowledge sharing among stakeholders, especially between Son Ruak community and tourists. The potential of dynamically using the synthesized knowledge and creative activities led to knowledge integration emerging the potential of using new knowledge that was the main point of knowledge application and the strength of Sob Ruak community to primarily drive creative tourism in golden triangle area.