The Development of Cultural Tourism in the Communities Around Sukhothai Historical Park , Sukhothai Province
Jirawat Phirasant, Patcharin Sirasoonthorn, DumrongwootViriya, Weerawit Chanthawarang, Natasa Sattha

Abstract
This research topic is the Participatory Development of Communities around Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukho thai province that is based on the Cultural Knowledge for Tourism and focuses on communities’ cultural tourism development in Sukhothai province. The research team conducted a participatory action research work that consists of academic activities and the development of various data collection activities such as exploration and field data collection and seminar. This research focuses on data collection from twelve communities and related organizations that take parts in participatory tourism development, project evaluation before the operations of some activities and sub-activities, planning arrangement in tourism development project, tourists’ satisfactory evaluation by using questionnaires and project evaluation, and meetings to disseminate research results to the public. To boost the effectiveness of the study, a new tourism principle was designed on the basis of community participatory which is composed of many cooperative meetings between Sukhothai Tourism Association and research team. Finally, every unit agreed to use identity cultural knowledge from community participation, such as legend, history, tradition, rituals, performance arts, arts and crafts, for developing communities around Sukhothai Historical Park as new tourism destinations. The use of cultural community identity inbasic structural and systematic development such as lodgings, restaurants, souvenir and hand craft shops, and the publication of local products and festivals that reflect local nature and the characteristics of people in surrounding communities. In addition, it is also suggested that community guide development, security system, community approaching condition, tourism information and landmark, private and public transportation information, tourism facility and service information, as well as public relations media, such as website, publication, radio media, television media, poster and brochure, should also be paid attention to.

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