THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF HEMP PRODUCTS BY COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES IN BAN SEREE RAT, CHONG KHEAP SUB DISTRICT, PHOP PHRA DISTRICT, TAK PROVINCE

Abstract

This mixed-methods research aims to study the demand for designing and developing hemp-based products for the Seri Rat Herbal Processing Community Enterprise and to develop hemp products tailored to this community in Phop Phra District, Tak Province. The study begins with data collection on product development needs, involving 30 key informants selected through purposive sampling: (1) members of the Seri Rat Community Enterprise and (2) customers purchasing the products. The collected data were analyzed to design and develop unique hemp products for the community using a participatory community-based product design approach. The development process was guided by the acquired knowledge and community input. The newly developed community products were subsequently evaluated for consumer satisfaction using a questionnaire administered to 390 respondents, selected through purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis.

The findings indicate that: 1) the Seri Rat Community Enterprise seeks to promote and develop hemp-based products to enhance their value, focusing on three key products-hemp tea, hemp soap, and hemp balm each reflecting the community’s unique identity; 2) the design and development process was highly participatory, incorporating local characteristics of Chong Khaeb Subdistrict, such as hemp farms and hemp leaves, into the product designs to reflect the distinct identity of the area; and 3) consumer satisfaction with the newly developed hemp products was rated as very high, with an overall mean score of 4.58