Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization)

An Ancient City of U Thong Plans to Connect Routes between Provinces

            Due to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic, an ancient city of U Thong has considerably lost its tourists and incomes. However, a community-based tourism group of U Thong ancient city sees an opportunity in this crisis and plans to develop tourism activities plus connecting travel routes between Suphanburi, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi provinces in hope to distribute incomes from tourism to local communities.
 

          Even though the spread of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Thailand and overseas does not seem to slow down anytime soon, the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization) or DASTA has not stopped working. The organization is still moving forward with its plans and, at the same time, adjusting itself to the situation. The tourism development plans under DASTA include plans to develop tourism-related activities and add more travel routes by collaborating with its networks in order to prepare for a return of both Thai and international tourists.

          Dr. Somjin Charnkrabi, manager of the designated area office 7, has stated that in the fiscal year 2020, the community-based tourism of U Thong ancient city has been affected by the spread of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), same as other tourist attractions. Having said that, this crisis has made the community re-think and adjust the way they used to work as well as getting themselves ready to change and develop the tourism-related activities. DASTA office 7 is in the process to improve potentials of role model and other communities so that they are well-prepared once the situation comes back to normal. The development plans are as follows:
 

Dr. Somjin Charnkrabi
 

            1. Training and improving abilities of local travel guides in the ancient city of U Thong and other connecting areas by using manuals/information about places of interest in the ancient city of U Thong and other neighboring areas. The objective of this plan is to improve the potentials of the communities in the areas and provinces of the lower middle region 1.

            2. The designing of tourism-related activities is divided into 2 areas:

            2.1 Areas of U Thong ancient city:

            • Ban Khao Phra in U Thong district, Suphan Buri province: a Thai ceremony called “Bai Sri Su Kwan Tai Phuan Khao Phra” to strengthen people’s minds and welcome good spirit, an activity to learn about a local herb called “Tum Nan Din”, and an activity to make Thai-style chewy rice flour snacks (kalamae) with “Tum Nan Din” and bee pollen.

            • “Tum Lueng Whan” Group in U Thong district, Suphan Buri province: an activity to use a toddy palm tree branch for leg stretching.

            • Wichian Foundry Learning Center: an activity to make fridge magnets by molding clay.

            2..2 Provinces in the lower middle region:

            • Huai Saphan Community in Phanom Thuan district, Kanchanaburi province: an activity to learn about “Jaeng” tree (Maerua siamensis) and benefits of forests, an activity to make vine bracelets, and an activity to make artificial flowers from “Por Tao Rong Hai” plant (Enkleia siamensis).

            • Huai Krabok Hakka Chinese Community in Ban Pong district, Ratchaburi province: an activity to make a knife, an activity to make a snack called “Wong Fah Moo Pan” or mung bean wrapped in rice flour, and an activity to learn about Chinese calligraphy and Chinese language.
 

          3. Connecting travel routes and activities among the provinces in the lower middle region 1 which are Suphanburi, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi provinces. By doing this, the travel routes in these provinces will be linked and the incomes from tourism will be distributed to local communities. The linkage of each travel route is working in progress as well as the estimation of budgets and selling prices of the tourism-related activities. These procedures are needed to be done in order to analyze and sustainably improve the community-based tourism.

          “We know that the development of these tourism-related activities and the linkage of travel routes in the 3 provinces are challenging projects for DASTA and the communities. Our goals are to create an interest for the tourists and attract them to travel to U Thong ancient city. Also, we hope that these developments and a rise in the number of tourists will generate more incomes to the communities in these 3 provinces,” added Dr. Somjin.