Khao Kradong Forest Park: A Model Friendly Designed Destination of the South Isaan Area
A concept of “Tourism for All” is not just a trend or a marketing tool that has been used to attract tourists to travel to a particular place, but it has become a necessity because everyone, regardless of their ages, genders, and body conditions, should be able to have an equal access to all tourist attractions to enjoy their lives and have a good time.
The Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organization) or DASTA has a policy to develop designated areas under its responsibility to comply with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria or GSTC. An implementation of a “friendly design” to improve the tourist destinations and create the “Tourism for All” concept is part of the GSTC as well.
Mr. Palakorn Bubphathanakorn, director of the Strategy Bureau and acting manager of the designated area office 2 (DASTA office 2), has revealed that a development plan for 5 provinces in the south Isaan area, which are Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani, aims to create the “Tourism for All” concept by incorporating the friendly design to the tourist attractions. This plan is also in conformity with a point no. A8 of the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) which encourages an effective management of the tourist destinations. The fiscal year 2021 is the first year that DASTA office 2 has organized activities encouraging the use of GSTC in the south Isaan tourism development area. Consequently, one of the first methods of the development plan is to find travel partners which means to create a network of associates who will assist DASTA in the development of the “Tourism for All” concept in the area.
Recently, the DASTA office 2 has worked with the Friendly Design Foundation and its public and private tourism-related associates in Buri Ram province on this respective topic. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed in March 2021 binding all parties to support the “Tourism for All” concept in the south Isaan tourism development area. The MOU also requires all parties to arrange meetings to discuss and exchange ideas as well as visiting the tourist attractions to survey the areas and promote the “Tourism for All” concept.
An area of Khao Kradong Forest Park in Muang district of Buri Ram province and other neighboring attractions such as Ban Sanuan Nok Community, Wat Khao Noi, Huai Chorakhe Mak Reservoir, and Chang Arena, have been chosen by the DASTA office 2 to be the model friendly designed tourist destinations. Right now, DASTA and its associates are working on the area surveys and information gatherings before starting to apply the friendly design to these model locations. If the implementation of the friendly design is proven to be effective and produces positive results in the model areas, it will then be implemented to other places in the province as well.
There are several processes to implement the friendly design to the model tourist attractions. First, there must be a collection of an in-depth information. Second, a plan will be formulated to apply the “Tourism for All” concept to the model areas through a participation of the local people and tourists. Third, the use of modern-day technologies is essential to increase the quality of services, provide knowledge, and improve capabilities of personnel. Last but not least, communications to the public is also important to let people know that Khao Kradong Forest Park and other connecting areas have become the friendly designed attractions guaranteed by the international standards and that they are the perfect destinations for people all over the world.
“As many countries around the world, including Thailand, are turning into aging societies, it is very important now more than ever to focus on the implementation of the friendly design in the tourist attractions which will lead to a success of the “Tourism for All” concept,” said Mr. Palakorn.
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