Abstract:
This research aimed to study functions of the establishments, business environment and management of Thai traditional massage service in Amphur Muang, Suratthani Province. The tool employed was in the form of questionnaire and the samples were 56 service providers of Thai traditional massage. The statistics used were descriptive statistics in the form of percentage, average mean and standard deviation. The t-test and F-test were used in testing of hypothesis in which LSD was employed in making comparison between the pairs. Chi-square test was also performed. The result of this research was concluded below.
Most of the entrepreneurs of Thai traditional massage was licensed as small personal business, have been operating for more than 6 years together with karaoke service. Massage service was provided on site or outside the establishments, with 8 - 14 staff, and monthly income around 100,001-150,000 baht. It was found that business environment has an overall importance at high level. Income from every source also had an overall importance at high level with competition having the highest average while politics and laws, culture and society, and economics showed their important levels in a decreasing order. Management of the business showed overall importance at high level with the highest average value in leadership while control, planning, man-power allocation, business development, management and service had their important levels in decreasing order. Comparison in management of Thai traditional massage based on the nature of the establishments showed a significant difference at 0.05 level in planning, organizing, man-power allocation/training, and control while no difference was found in leadership, service and business development. The management of Thai traditional massage and business environment were significantly related at 0.05 level particularly in man-power allocation, leadership, control service, and business development while planning and organization showed no relationship. The problems in this business were lack of trained personnel and expert masseurs and police check point for drunk drivers.