Guidelines for the Management of the Wat Prasat museum, Khonthi sub - district, mueang Kamphaeng Phet district Kamphaeng Phet province as a center for study
Abstract:
The Wat Prasat Local Museum, located in Tambon Khondee, Mueang Kamphaeng Phet District, Kamphaeng Phet Province, is a local museum that showcases art and cultural artifacts of the Khondee community. It displays Buddhist items such as Buddha statues, ancient scriptures, and lion-shaped pillars, as well as agricultural tools, everyday utensils, currency, and weapons that reflect the history and value of local wisdom. Currently, the museum faces challenges in its exhibition and management. The purpose of this study is to explore the history, social, and cultural aspects of the Khondee community and Wat Prasat, as well as to examine the management and exhibition of buildings, artworks, and antiquities at the Wat Prasat Local Museum. The study aims to propose a management approach to improve the Wat Prasat Local Museum in Khondee, Mueang Kamphaeng Phet District, Kamphaeng Phet Province, making it a valuable learning resource. The study found that the Wat Prasat Local Museum has been operating since 2003 with the support of the Khondee Subdistrict Administrative Organization and Wat Prasat. It is a museum that collects and exhibits both Buddhist and local cultural artifacts, and it is open for free. The study revealed that the main issues faced by the Wat Prasat Local Museum are the lack of a dedicated museum manager, insufficient budget for the museum's development, and issues with the exhibition setup, such as discontinuity in the storytelling and overlapping of artifacts. To address these problems, it is essential for there to be collaboration among the community, the temple, and government agencies in managing and improving the museum.To manage the Wat Prasat Local Museum as a learning center, both the exhibition and the management of the museum must be organized effectively, as follows: Exhibition Management:The exhibition within the museum should involve defining exhibition themes, writing exhibition scripts, and designing the layout of each exhibit. This includes the design of exhibition rooms, knowledge signs within the building, and multimedia materials. The proposed management for the exhibitions should align with the local museum management concept, cultural resource management, and learning strategies. The aim is to transform the museum into a valuable learning center. Museum Management for the effective management of the museum, it is recommended that the operation be a collaborative effort involving the community, the temple, and government agencies. The management structure should include a working committee for the Wat Prasat Local Museum, consisting of four groups include Administrative and Operations Group, Museum and Academic Group, Building and Facilities Group and General Administration Group. The management should cover several key areas with Opening and operating the museum ,Fundraising for the museum, Object registration and cataloging and Museum public relations. In addition, it is recommended that the Wat Prasat Local Museum be managed as an effective and impactful learning center that benefits the community, with the concept of community participation as a central guiding principle for the museum's management model.