Economic valuation of cultural heritage : a case study of historic temples in Thailand

This study looks at how conservation of Thailand’s ancient temple heritage might be financed. Using information from contingent valuation and choice modeling exercises involving 500 households in Bangkok, it assesses how much Thais would be willing to pay for a conservation program to safeguard ten at-risk temple sites. It also looks at the main elements of such a temple conservation program to see which are most highly prized. It finds that, on average, individuals would be willing to make a one-time payment of 200 Baht (USD5.30), either as a tax surcharge or as a voluntary donation to finance the conservation program. Extrapolating these results nationally, this would generate more than enough money to finance a temple conservation program. The study also proposes the main elements of a national program to preserve historic temples in Thailand. Local communities and the private sector (in regions where historic temples are located) are highlighted as the key players in any such initiative

Comparing cultural heritage values in South East Asia : possibilities and difficulties in cross-country transfers of economic values

Article in pressBenefit transfer refers to the transfer of economic values from a primary valuation study (study site) to a site where we need to conduct policy analysis (policy site). Due to the considerable costs and time required to conduct primary valuation studies, using benefit transfers to estimate the values for sites not yet valued is likely to attract policy interest. While benefit transfer is being increasingly applied in studies on environmental goods, its application in the field of cultural heritage resources is rare. The unique nature of these public goods, and differences in the size and demographic characteristics of the affected populations lead to a significant risk of benefit transfer providing irrelevant estimates for cultural heritage. In this study, we compared the results of two contingent valuation (CV) studies involving historic temples in Thailand and Vietnam, tested the validity and reliability of benefit transfers between the two sites, and explored the possibilities and difficulties in such transfers. We found that the error in transferring unadjusted mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) ranged from 46% to 129%. Adjustments for differences in purchasing power parity (PPP), income level and income elasticity between the sites substantially increased rather than decreased transfer errors in many instances. Function transfers did not perform better than unadjusted unit transfers. These results suggest that there are other important factors - possibly physical, cultural and institutional variables - that need to be taken into account in explaining the differences in WTP for cultural heritage aside from the usual income and socio-economic variables captured in CV studies. Until we are able to identify these other factors and measure their impacts, the potential policy use of benefit transfer in the case of cultural heritage goods remains limited

Putting a price on paradise : economic policies to preserve Thailand's coral reefs

Full text version of this study is available as an EEPSEA research report: Economic analysis of coral reefs in the Andaman Sea of Thailan

Economic analysis of coral reefs in the Andaman Sea of Thailand

The focus of this study is the valuation of coral reefs and how this information can be used to improve planning for coral reef management in Thailand. Phi Phi Islands is rich in reef systems and envisioned as an eco-tourism destination by government planners. The analysis indicates that both local and national levels of government can justify larger annual budget allocations for managing coastal resources. The Economy and Environment Program for SE Asia (EEPSEA) supports research and training in environmental and resource economics to enhance local capacity for analysis of environmental problems and policies

An Economic Valuation of Coastal Ecosystems in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

Thailand's Phang Nga Bay is under threat from unregulated tourism and the proposed Southern Seaboard Development Project. The project would involve construction of many infrastructure and industrial projects very close to important and sensitive tourist sites in the Bay. This study assessed the value placed on changes to the Bay's ecosystems by Thais so that these values can be taken into consideration when decisions are made on the expansion of environmentally damaging commercial activities. The population sample was chosen from Thais between ages 18 to 75 years, living in and traveling to Phang Nga Bay area. The study found the annual value of a 35% to 65% increase in environmental quality to be 5,784 million Baht (USD 144.6 million), equivalent to 8% of the gross provincial products of the combined provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga, and Krabi. The study also assessed environmental attitudes and found Thais to be strong advocates of environmental protection. The welfare estimates of improving the Bay's ecosystem showed that diversity of flora and fauna, which provides recreational and tourism benefits, is the most important attribute of the Bay. Local livelihood and ecological functions are equally important attributes while the rare and endangered species attribute is the least important.Coastal ecosystem, Thailand

Putting a Price on Paradise: Economic Policies to Preserve Thailand's Coral Reefs

Millions of people have read about "The Beach" and or seen it in the Leonardo de Caprio film, while many others have visited it, or similar ones, in Thailand's Andaman sea. And there lies the rub: The famous 'paradise' islands of Phi Phi are so popular that they are in danger of being loved to death. Tourists from all over the world are putting increasing pressure on this fragile ecosystem. In response to this problem, a new study has found justification to introduce a system of charges to reduce the pressure on the islands' coral reefs and provide money for their conservation. This study is not only important for its implications for the islands of Phi Phi. As the first study of its kind in Thailand, it is also relevant to many other marine sites in the country. To investigate what options might be available for improved marine conservation and management in Phi Phi, the study used a number of valuation methods to work out the economic value of the coral reefs around the islands. It found that the annual value of the area to visitors was over 8,200 million baht (US$205 million). The study also found that the use and non-use values of Phi Phi coral reefs represented an annual value of some 19,900 million baht (US$497 million). Based on this results, this study recommended that the local and national government of Thailand should allocate a larger percentage of their annual budgets to managing coastal resources and that tourists should be charged an admission fee of 40 baht (USD 1) alongside other payments for using the island's resources.coral reef, Thailand

An Economic Analysis of Coral Reefs in the Andaman Sea of Thailand

The focus of this study is the valuation of coral reefs and how this information can be used to improve planning for coral reef management in Thailand. The site analysed, Phi Phi Islands, is rich in reef systems and is envisioned as an eco-tourism destination by government planners. Phi Phi can generate large economic values through recreation. The consumer surplus estimated by the travel cost method reveals an annual value of 8,216.4 million Baht (US$205.41 million). This study also utilised the contingent valuation method to estimate both the use and non-use values of Phi Phi's coral reefs, representing an annual value of 19,895 million Baht (US$497.38 million).Coral reefs, Thailand

Economic Valuation of Cultural Heritage: A Case Study of Historic Temples in Thailand

This study looks at how conservation of Thailand's ancient temple heritage might be financed. Using information from contingent valuation and choice modeling exercises involving 500 households in Bangkok, it assesses how much Thais would be willing to pay for a conservation program to safeguard ten at-risk temple sites. It also looks at the main elements of such a temple conservation program to see which are most highly prized. It finds that, on average, individuals would be willing to make a one-time payment of 200 Baht (USD5.30), either as a tax surcharge or as a voluntary donation to finance the conservation program. Extrapolating these results nationally, this would generate more than enough money to finance a temple conservation program. The study also proposes the main elements of a national program to preserve historic temples in Thailand. Local communities and the private sector (in regions where historic temples are located) are highlighted as the key players in any such initiative.Temple, Thailand