Utilization of Cultural Heritages for Creative Activities in Thawang, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province

Abstract

Nowadays, the creative city concept has become the main driver of urban development. There is a competition to attract maintain and create creative class. (Florida, 2004) Because creative class is one of important factors to create creative economy. Another factor is value creation from culture, which is an important way for making differences between cities. Therefore, the development of creative city has to focusses on cultural heritages art and local identities (Peeradorn Kaewlai and Thipsuda Chanchamla, 2013)

In Tha Wang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat, there exist many cultural heritages, and a series of movements to organize creative activities and to utilize heritage buildings have been introduced by local creative class under creative city concept. Hence, it is necessary to study important events and utilizations of cultural heritage for creative activities occur in the district during 2017 to 2022, by surveys and interviews. Analysis is conducted to verify consistency with the concept of Creative Places, in order to seek potentials of developing into a creative district in the future.

The study finds that heritage buildings have different level of consistency with Creative Places concept by Helmy (2015). Buildings with many attributes of concept are, Bawon Basaar, JILL Art Space and Yongkang Cafe, which have been adapted to suit the current needs, and permanently renovated by private owners. They create new experiences to users, connections to the town and interactions of people. Heritage building renovation is one of important factors in encouraging creative activities, since Creative Places creation is considered as an essential contribution to creative economy development in the city. It can be concluded as a suggestion that public sector should take more parts in encouraging utilization of cultural heritage in creative way.