BANGKOK — DASTA, the government agency which aims to develop sustainable tourism in Thailand, is seeking to promote the region of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet in becoming a hub for cultural and heritage tourism in Asia, and a destination which will attract a greater number of higher-quality, foreign tourists to its magnificent sites, while enhancing the regional economy and local standards of living.
Col. Dr Narikatipak Saengsanit, DASTA’s Director-General, laid out his agency’s plans to transform Sukhothai and the Associated Towns parks into the heritage destination in Asia, highlighting the unique and stunning qualities of the region’s many archaeological sites which form the origins of Thai culture and arts and the pervasive sense of ancient civilisation, which qualified the region as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
-DASTA is coordinating efforts with domestic and international development networks with a local presence, encouraging and helping them to participate in area management with an integrated campaign of “Co-Creation”, a process that involves “co-thinking, co-planning, co-implementation, co-responsibility and co-enjoyment”, stressing the importance of “Low Carbon Tourism” and “Creative Tourism”.
-DASTA is promoting participation in tourist site improvement activities by local residents from areas surrounding the parks. It has initiated a project whereby locals supply tourist amenities and facilities around the parks, benefitting from the project economically, socially, culturally and environmentally.
-DASTA joins hands with local residents in promoting ‘moradok phra ruang’ products, collectively chosen and representative of local identity and wisdom, reflecting local lifestyles. Sangkhalok ceramic ware, golden ware, silver ware and Tin Chok sarongs, for example, add value as local products while improving the local economy.
-DASTA also offers training for producing local guides who are well-informed about the World Heritage sites and are capable of properly informing tourists about them as well.
“We aim to make the “Historical Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns” a regional hub for Cultural and Heritage Tourism in the Asia-Pacific region and also a destination for foreign tourists with interest in culture and arts as part of our efforts to attract higher quality tourists to the sites while improving economic conditions for the locals within Sukhothai and Kamphaeng Phet provinces,” said the Director-General.
DASTA, the government agency which develops and manages sustainable tourism in Thailand, seeks to promote the region of Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet as a hub for cultural and heritage tourism in Asia and a destination that will attract a greater number of quality foreign tourists to its magnificent sites, enhancing the regional economy and local standards of living.
To learn more, please visit www.dasta.or.th/en/. For details, contact Pipop Kongwong on +66-8-1929-8864, +66-2612-2081 #124, or by email at baokaban_naja@hotmail.co.th.
See “Dawn of Happiness at a World Heritage Site – Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet”, http://www.acnnewswire.com/press-release/english/37803/.