Tourism Management and Promotion of Community way of life in the Case of the Mount Sawai Festival Surin Province, Thailand

การจัดการท่องเที่ยวและการส่งเสริมวิถีชีวิตชุมชน กรณีเทศกาลขึ้นเขาสวาย จังหวัดสุรินทร์ ประเทศไทย

Abstract

Tourism management and community lifestyle promotion: The case of the Svai Mountain Climbing Festival, Surin Province, Thailand The study found that Surin Province has an important mountain named “Phnom Svai” in the local language and there are communities living around the mountain. The local language used is Khmer. The ancient way of life has been a tradition of climbing this mountain for a long time. The belief in Svai Mountain as a historical mountain and the location of the province’s important Buddha images is the origin and development of this important annual festival in the area and has received support from the local agencies, budget, performances, folk arts, mountain worship ceremonies, etc. It has become an important festival and developed into tourism and promotion of the community’s lifestyle in the surrounding area, such as local handicraft services, local food, silk handicrafts, silverware, and agricultural products from the community. These are provided in the annual festival, generating income and developing the community at the same time. The value of the festival is the following activities: (1) paying homage to Buddha images at various points and religious images (2) making merit (3) chanting, meditation (4) dedicating merit to ancestors (5) showing respect to the elderly, etc.