The Study of Innovative Process for Finding Social Capital base on Community-Base Tourism Concept: A Case Study of Ban Wai Community, Lom Sak District, Phetchabun Province

Abstract

This article aims to 1) examine the context and social capital of Ban Wai community, and 2) analyze the innovation process  to find social capital within the community-based tourism concept.  In terms of the qualitative research methodology, fifty key informants were selected by purposive sampling and participated in a focus group discussion and in-depth interviews. These key informants were formed into five groups, each of which included: nineteen community members, twelve tourists, six community-based tourism committees, seven  government employees,  and six  private sector employees.  Content analysis and event tree analysis were used to examine the data. Based on the findings, the Ban Wai community possessed the capacity to manage community-based tourism activities in accordance with the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) concept. Since the community possessed its own cultural and natural resources, equipped with the organization that runs tourism activities, community management, and learning activities for  its residents. These elementrs could therefore result in the establishment of  five types of tourism-related activities in the area: 1) local cuisine; 2) noteworthy landmarks; 3) accommodations; 4) natural resources or agricultural learning facilities;  and 5) customs and cultural practices. However, the entire community must keep agriculture as its primary source of income, and each family should have many sources of income to spread the risk. In addition, participating in community tourism initiatives is only viable as a second employment.