Herbal Garden Tourism Development In Thailand: A Case Study

This article aims to study species of herbs and their properties to develop a tourism site in Baan Nai Wang, Baanna Sub-district, Srinakarin District, Phatthalung Province, present healthy food menus for tourists that use local raw ingredients, and develop an herbal garden tourism handbook for the Songkhla Lake Basin. Data were collected through a field survey, focus group discussions involving stakeholders, and in-depth interviews with herbal experts. The study found that there are two private vegetables and herbal gardens and one public area suitable for tourism sites. Thirty-three species of herbs are used for cooking, 17 species of herbs are used for curing disease, and 5 healthy food menus use local herbs as ingredients. We found that the area should be developed as a tourism destination for visitors to learn more about herbal species and herbal properties and to cure diseases using herbs

A Pattern Of Rural Tourism In The Songkhla Lake Basin, Thailand

This article aims to determine a pattern of rural tourism that harmonizes with the Songkhla Lake Basin (SLB) resources in southern Thailand. Data were collected through a field survey, focus group discussions involving tourism stakeholders, a snowball sampling technique with SLB experts, and questionnaires with 400 tourists. The study found that the SLB tourism resources are located in a mountain range, in the foothills, in the lowlands, on the coast, and on a lake. The tourism field consists of a natural way of life; belief in Buddhist doctrines and the presence of monks, natural beauty, and sacred objects; folklore plays; local traditional events; and archaeological and historical sites. Ecotourism, cultural tourism, archaeological tourism and historical tourism are the aspects of rural tourism that harmonize with components of the SLB resources

Exposure assessment of traditional and IPM farmers on using pesticides: A case study at Bang Rieng Sub District, Khuan Nieng District, Songkhla Province

A questionnaire was developed to quantitatively evaluate the exposure to pesticides and to gauge the concentration of organophosphate pesticides such as chlorpyrifos and methyl-parathion while the farmers of Bang Rieng were spraying these pesticides. The results were applied to the exposure assessment and to compare the quantity of exposure to these pesticides between 33 traditional and 40 integrated pest management (IPM) farmers of Bang Rieng. There was a significant difference in the level of exposure between the traditional farmers, who had the average pesticide exposure scores of 58.30 points and the IPM farmers, whose average scores were 53.50 points, (p < 0.015). Concentrations of organophosphate pesticides chlorpyrifos and methyl-parathion were measured. Thirty-three air samples were collected by personal sampling during the period of pesticide spraying. Traditional farmers were exposed to higher levels of the pesticide(s) with a mean concentration of 0.1865 mg/m compared to the IPM farmers who were exposed to a mean pesticide concentration of 0.037 mg/m3. It was estimated that the farmers of Bang Rieng would be exposed to 186-19,616.6 mg of the organophosphatepesticide(s) via inhalation throughout their lifetime (65 years). Moreover, according to the exposure assessment, the traditional farmers exposed to a greater amount of the pesticide(s) via inhalation compared to the IPM farmers

Participation In Agri-Food Safety Collaborative Network: An Example From Songkhla Province, Thailand

We conducted this case study in Songkhla Province in Thailand, with the aim of exploring the participation in a collaborative network for food safety. This study was conducted using a qualitative approach, with data collected from 15 representatives of various group leaders within the network. Participatory observation was used to cross-validate the data obtained, and content analysis to analyze the collected data. The study found that the goals of the agri-food safety collaborative network are self-reliance, resource conservation, food security, and health. The main purpose of the network is to develop a system for food-safety management, consisting of three connected systems: a fair and self-sufficient production system, a fair and sustainable marketing system, and an appreciative consumption. There are four supporting mechanisms for encouraging participation in the network: network management, coordination, mutual learning, and communication. We found that participation is a social learning process. The three systems of agri-food safety management focus on participation to encourage intra- and inter-group mutual learning of the network. The social capital existing in the area, especially, the civil society network and the knowledge therein, are key factors for building a collaborative network as a tool for the participation of the public and private sectors in the broader term of food safety

Inhalation Exposure of Organophosphate Pesticides by Vegetable Growers in the Bang-Rieng Subdistrict in Thailand

This study investigated inhalation exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) and evaluated the associated health risks to vegetable growers living in the Bang-Rieng agricultural community. Air samples were collected by using personal sampling pumps with sorbent tubes placed in the vegetable growers' breathing zone. Samples were collected during both wet and dry seasons. Residues of organophosphate pesticides, that is, chlorpyrifos, dicrotofos, and profenofos, were analyzed from 33 vegetable growers and 17 reference subjects. Results showed that median concentrations of OPPs in air in farm areas were in the range of 0.022–0.056 mg/m3 and air in nonfarm areas in the range of <0.0016–<0.005 mg/m3. The concentration of the three pesticides in the vegetable growers was significantly higher than that of the references during both seasons. The results also indicate that the vegetable growers may be at risk for acute adverse effects via the inhalation of chlorpyrifos and dicrotofos during pesticide application, mixing, loading, and spraying. It is suggested that authorities and the community should implement appropriate strategies concerning risk reduction and risk management

Sustainable wine tourism and vineyards’ environmental consciousness in Thailand.

This study aimed to assess sustainable grape wine tourism industry practices and explore the environmental consciousness of the stakeholders in Thailand. As a newcomer to the wine industry and the wine tourism industry, Thailand is presently constrained to only a few working vineyards that generate grape wine for wine tourism and exportation, predominantly from Central Thailand. Hence, there has been very little research conducted in the area and there is insufficient knowledge of the environmental management of wine vineyard tourism in Thailand. A qualitative study was employed, using semi-structured face-to-face interviews with six of the nine Thai vineyard owners or managers, as well field observations by the researchers. This study identified several factors such as cost, lack of government support, lack of awareness by the vineyard owners and managers on the benefits of sustainable wine practices, as some of the variables that make it difficult for grape vineyards to practice sustainable wine tourism. These vital key issues can be addressed by the government and industrial stakeholders through innovative ideas and cooperation. In addition, government assistance can support the implementation of sustainable business practice and provide backing with the willingness for adoption of sustainable business practices in the wine tourism industry by offering various attractive subsidies including tax incentives to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices in the wine tourism industry in Thailand. This paper contributes to the limited research in Thailand and its findings provide useful information that can be used by the policy makers in addressing the economic and environmental concerns of stakeholders in the wine tourism industry of Thailand

Key success factors of disaster management policy: A case study of the Asian cities climate change resilience network in Hat Yai city, Thailand

The objective of this research was to study the key success factors of public policy in disaster management in Songkhla province, based on a case study of the Hat Yai Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) in order to propose guidelines for sustainable disaster management in the area. The methodologies applied in this research were both quantitative and qualitative. In the quantitative approach, the researcher used a questionnaire with 400 samples from three representative communities in Hat Yai city. The qualitative approach used the focus group technique with the stakeholders of policy implementation. The results of the survey regarding the problems within some communities affected by flooding indicated that most of the respondents had faced flooding in their community. Moreover, these respondents had participated in the policy and were aware of information about ACCCRN from different media, as well as having participated disaster management activities and had meetings with the organizations or personnel involved with disaster management. Moreover, the results showed a relationship between the individual factors and the information awareness of ACCCRN at the 95% confidence level. Additionally, the results using the qualitative method showed that the model of disaster management in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, involved three key success factors of disaster management policy: (1) there is a balance between self-interest and the public interest; (2) private participation is required; (3) addressing obstacles to policy implementation and its effective implementation. The benefits from this research are enormous in terms of successfully implementing disaster management policy and this policy can be applied to other contexts in Thailand as well. Keywords: disaster management, key success factor, policy implementatio

APPLICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) TO IDENTIFY ECOTOURISM POTENTIAL SITES OF SONGKHLA LAKE BASIN, THAILAND

Songkhla Lake Basin (SLB) situated in the southern part of Thailand, has high ecotourism potential due to the basin's abundant natural and cultural resources. Ecotourism might be an appropriate concept for the sustainable tourism development on this area which can play balanced role between the demand of lake tourism and fragile condition of Lake Ecosystem. The main objective of this study is to identify the potential ecotourism sites of SLB by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a decision supporting tool for sustainable development of Lake Basin. This study leads to improve socio-cultural, economic and environmental development of SLB. Spatial and non-spatial data associated with the socio-cultural and natural resources were spatially analyzed. Forest, water resources, biodiversity and carrying capacities were highly correlated among 15 factors. Analyses were carried out in this study to assess potentials as well as the risk of ecotourism resources in SLB. Finally, the results were classified according to level of ecotourism potentials as high, moderate or low for sustainable development of SLB. On the basis of these criteria, Khao Pu-khaoo Ya National Park, Namkhag National Park , Thale Noi etc. were found as high potential areas; Pha Dam Forest, Oak Thalu Hill, Manorah Waterfall etc. were found as medium potential areas and Ta-Chiad Irrigation reservoir, Pa Prem Park etc. were found as low potential areas

Statistical assessment of trophic conditions: squared Euclidean distance approach

The classification of trophic conditions of water bodies may often face contradictory cases where a given lake is classified into a trophic category from a trophic variable, whereas it is classified into another trophic category from other trophic variables. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new methodology based on the concepts of squared Euclidean distance and the boundary values recommended by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). This methodology requires that a trophic variable data set of a water body under consideration and such boundary values be compared by a measure of similarity computed by using basic statistical techniques to determine the trophic condition of a given water body. The methodology has been tested by applying it to two sample data sets: the Pattani Dam Reservoir and the North Adriatic Sea data sets, which were taken from Kietpawpan (2002) and Zurlini (1996), respectively. The squared Euclidean distance analysis were then applied to the above data sets in order to classifytrophic conditions, based on four trophic variables comprising total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophylla, and Secchi depth. Our results show that the squared Euclidean distance analysis is a useful methodology for preliminarily classifying trophic conditions and solving contradictory classifications, which often arise when applying the present OECD methodology alone