Abstract:
The research has the following objectives 1.) Study floating markets' transformation that affects the community learning resources. 2.) Analyse the values and roles of floating markets as community learning resources. 3.) Propose recommendations to utilize floating markets as community and school learning resources. The study utilizes oral history, documents, interviews, local non-participation observation and focus group. The study reveals that: 1.) Khlong Lat Ratchaburi floating market was an old market with long history of trade but now has shut down Khlong Pho Huk also had a long history of trade and goods exchange in the community. However, the trading at present is not robust and may face extinction in the future. Khlong Ton Khem floating market is still in operation and at present is promoted as tourist attraction under the well-known name of Damnoensaduak floating market. 2. The three floating markets' roles and values on local economy, society, culture, tourism and community learning resources were similar in the past. But at present, each floating market's role and value has changed with the time. Khlong Lat Ratchaburi floating market now can only play a role in history, society and culture while Khlong Pho Huk has lost its tourism role and value. Only Khlong Ton Khem floating market still retains all roles and values as were the case in the past. 3.) Floating markets have roles and values as community learning resources as persons, media, activities, places and natural resources, all of which can be utilized for teaching and learning in school which can be adapted as a learning tool for all 8 groups with the aim of creating unified and integrated learning environment and fostering community spirit. 4.) Most vendors of the three floating markets are women, and that was similar in the past. They are called floating vendors whose characters and clothes are unique. Moreover, the floating vendors have learned and transfered knowledge in order to conserve floating vendor career. Therefore, the floating vendors play not only the trade roles but also the new role, the community learning resources as people. It can be concluded that floating vendors are the most important community learning resources as people that have influence on the existence or extinction of the floating markets.