The Analysis of Potentials and Readiness of Cultural Resources for Designing Tourism Routes of the BangKhen Canel, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to (1) to study ‘tangible’ and ‘intangible’ cultural tourism resources at Bangkhen Cable (2) to assess the potentials and readiness of cultural tourism resources along BangKhen Canal (3) to develop tourist routes along the BangKhen Canal. The informants were composed of four groups: 30 community leaders and community members, 9 monks, 12 NGOs and 1 government executive. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, small group discussions, and secondary data analysis. Qualitative analysis proceeded by categorizing, summarizing and encoding the data before analyzing the content. The empirical results illustrated that: 1) there were 2 types of cultural tourist recourses along BangKhen Canal, firstly tangible cultural tourist resources; 9 temples, 10 rowboats, 20 living tools, 3 ancient houses, 17 crafts while non- tangible cultural tourist resources were 12 local food menus, 3 local believes and 3 Local traditions. In terms of assessing tangible cultural tourist resources regarding identities, completeness, charming and originality; the results illustrated that: 3 are highly identities (2 orchards, music house, 4 temples), 2 are highly completeness (1 temples, living tools), 4 are highly chamming resources (4 temples, 2 orchards, music house, rowboats) and 3 are highly original (6 temples, 2 orchards and rowboats). In terms of assessing the value of non-tangible cultural tourist resources, the study found that 3 are highly identities (Local traditions, local food menus, local believes), 2 are completeness (Local traditions, local food menus) , 3 are chamming resources (Local traditions, local food menus, local believes),  and 3 are original (Local traditions, local food menus, local believes).Moreover, in terms of assessing readiness, 3 categories were used to evaluate; Accessibility Accommodation and Activity. In terms of tangible cultural tourist resources only 3 have a highly accessibility, none has a highly accommodation, and only temples have highly activities. While non-tangible cultural tourist resources only 1 that is local tradition has a highly score in terms of activity. Moreover, BangKhen Canal cultural tourism can be arranged as a one-day trip, 5 tourist routes can be to offer to tourists.  Tourists can appreciate the nature, temples, boats, earliest house, believes, orchards, local Thai music school, traditional culture and tasting local food. In summary, BangKhen Canal cultural tourism is an important tool that people of the BangKhen Canal use to develop and rehabilitate the BangKhen canal as well as development of social and economic aspects in the community. BangKhen Canal cultural tourism can develop into prototype for rehabilitation canals of other communities, especially urban communities.