Abstract:
The purposes of this study titiled Cultural Tourism Management in Chiangkhan Community, Chiangkhan District, Loei Province were to 1) investigate cultural tourism element, 2) analyze tourism management process and analyze current stakeholders, 3) analyze potential of cultural tourism management, and 4) provide suitable cultural tourism management in Chiangkhan Community. This was a qualitative research and the data was collected from documents and fieldwork consisting of survey, observation and interview with concerning people.The results found that there were 5 steps of the tourism management process in Chiangkhan Community including cooperation between different temples, municipality and entrepreneurs. These 5 steps contained strategic planning, stakeholder management, operation, coordination and knowledge management. To the role of stakeholders towards the cultural tourism management in Chiangkhan District, however, it contained finding resolutions to solve problems, defining development plan, coordinating with several parts, providing knowledge, supporting investment, preparing public relations and earning income from tourism. Furthermore, the most important roles in the cultural tourism management in Chiangkhan Community were searching for the resolutions to solve the problems and defining development plan which required the cooperation between Chiangkhan Municipality, Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and Chiangkhan Council. Besides, another significant role was related to the investment in infrastructure and facilities of Chiangkhan Municipality of Loey Provincial Offices and external entrepreneurs. Besides, the stakeholders and people sector had the highest role in participation into a stage of finding the problems and causes, followed by the municipality and Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning in a stage of planning as well as the entrepreneurs, municipality, people sector and associations in a stage of investment and operation, respectively. Moreover, the municipality and Chiangkhan Council also took part in a stage of follow up and evaluation. According to the study, some essential problems of cultural tourism management in Chiangkhan Community were found. For instance, the stakeholders lacked integration towards the suitable tourism management plan and the administration of each sector was unclear and still lacked local peoples participation.Certain proper resolutions towards the cultural tourism management were also suggested by applying a model to improve the tourism by local community. The local tourism was developed from the peoples participation and sustainable tourism based on the local community. Furthermore, a project of creative tourism should be held to encourage tourists to learn the way of life of local people, unique identity of local community and area owners. An interaction between the tourists and local people should be emphasized to support conservation an important process to create public consciousness and retain balance for creative and sustainable knowledge development.