Research & Article

The purpose of this research is to survey the cultural heritage of Suphan Buri River Basin communities, manage the heritage value system, and propose guidelines for the management of its creative cultural heritage values. This qualitative research uses knowledge management processes from model areas, in the form of a manual, and transfers knowledge through workshops held in two communities in the Suphan Buri River Basin. Data stems from document analysis, field study with in-depth interviews, non-participant observation, and group discussion to conduct analysis, synthesis, and find guidelines for the management of creative cultural heritage values in order to create sustainability in Suphan Buri River Basin communities. The informants were selected purposively and comprised of 1) 23 scholars; 2) 15 community representatives who participated in community tourism development; 3) 25 representatives of housewife groups in accordance with the occupation group list; and 4) 14 additional informants from snowball sampling.

Content analysis indicated that there are seven aspects of cultural heritage. They are performance art, folk literature, norms, rites, and festivals, which are influenced by religion and daily life, and language, which uniquely affects identity. Furthermore, there are four values of cultural heritage value system management: symbolic value, academic value, aesthetic value, and economic value. The guidelines for the management of cultural heritage values create sustainability in the Suphan Buri River Basin communities. A community creation management model focusing on the utilization of cultural costs incurred by the community process and a mechanism for the development and protection of cultural heritage in the long term can manage creative stories, manage creative community tourism, manage creative communication, and lead to resource and creative tourism sustainability.