Storytelling Creation to Communicate Identity of Chinese Ethnic Food to Promote the Community Economy and Tourism Links, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and Trang Province

Abstract

This research aims: 1) to study the context, origin and identity of Chinese ethnic food along the link connecting Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang provinces; and 2) to create a story of Chinese ethnic food identity to promote the community economy and tourism links, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province and Trang Province. This research is a qualitative research using interviews with key informants, namely 20 government/private sector agencies and community scholars, and 7 entrepreneurs of Chinese restaurants from 8 identity foods. It is divided into savory and sweet dishes in the areas of Mueang District, Trang Province, Huai Yot District, Trang Province, Na Bon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. In Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, it is the only restaurant that has both savory and sweet dishes. Data collection tools included data recording forms, semi-structured interview forms, and observation recording forms. Data were collected from field visits. and analyze the data by decoding (coding analysis) from the specified questions which consider the consistency and summarizing the issues according to the objectives.  The research results found that: 1) the context of the origin of Chinese food, many Chinese people came to Thailand to seek their fortune. It was found that the Chinese came to Trang Province during the reign of King Rama III and especially during the reign of King Rama V to work as laborers on the Trang railway line and then settled there. In addition, Chinese people also came to mine tin in Huai Yot District, Trang Province, and cultivate rubber plantations in Na Bon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. Chinese people therefore settled along the railway's route as in Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. There is a cultural fusion between ethnic Chinese and local Thai people, including the context of the origin of Chinese food. The Chinese have blended it with the food culture of Thailand in each region, which has affected the identity of Chinese food, both in terms of similarities and differences in menus and beliefs about food; for example, grilled pork is popular in Trang Province, and boiled or stewed pork legs are popular in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. Alternatively, eating vermicelli noodles on cremation day in Trang Province, and not eating noodles on cremation day in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, etc. However, there have been changes, adaptations and a blend of Chinese food from different ethnic groups and Thai food, but it also reflects ethnicity, beliefs, geography of origin, traditions and occupations of each ethnic Chinese people; 2) The creation of Chinese food stories under research resulted in the initial data set for each Chinese restaurant, which included the opening period, the signature menu, the methods, the presentation methods and the benefits of the food. The researchers synthesized content creation strategies by telling stories that focused on each restaurant's unique food, wisdom, and value from Chinese national cuisine, storytelling strategies with Chinese identity and storytelling strategies linked to spatial identity and tourism.