Cooperative Development Model to Promote Tourism in Thailand and Laos in the Border Zone of Ubon Ratchatani Province and Champasak

Abstract

Problem Statement: Thailand and Laos are neighboring countries. People living along the border areas often visit one another. The objectives of the study were to examine current circumstances and problems of tourism in the border areas of Ubon Ratchatani Province and Champasak and Cooperative development model to promote tourism in the border zone of Ubon Ratchatani Province and Champasak. Approach: This qualitative research was carried out during 2009-2012. The research data were documentaries and fieldwork collected from 100 sample using a basic survey, observations, and interviews. The data were analyzed qualitatively and the results presented descriptively. Results: Concerning current circumstances and problems of tourism in the border areas of Ubon Ratchatani Province and Champasak, the study found that the cooperation between the two countries for tourism was very limited due to political and economic differences between them. For the cooperative development model to promote tourism in the border areas of the two countries, the study found the followings:1) Based on the historical background of tourism in the border areas, the study found that there were more Thai tourists visited Laos than did the Lao people visited Thailand. 2) The enhancement of tourism in the border areas covered 8 areas of services: Transportation, hotels, food, sightseeing arrangement tourist attraction, shopping, safety and advertisement and public relations. 3) Cooperation for tourism was based on the governments, the travel companies, and the communities where the tourist attractions were located. 4) Cooperation development to promote tourism with the emphasis on management with government leadership and good law. 5) Cooperative development model to promote tourism based on appropriate content taking into account concrete manner and keeping natural tourist attraction, environmental conservation, equilibrium, tourist impression, and awareness of shared responsibility. Tourism activities should be based on sustainability, keep them in the original condition, expand tourist attraction areas without exploiting natural surroundings and consistent with local people’s way of life. The management could predict the future, provide room for comments, and return benefits to everyone involved.