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

Abstract

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.