The Formation Process and Accommodation Development on Mountainous Farmland of Mon Cham, Chiang Mai

Abstract

This research aims to study tourism and spatial development in Mon Cham, and to identify key factors that promote and control tourism development from the beginning to the present. Originally, local people had settled in this area before it was declared as a national forest reserve area. As a result, the lands have been allocated for agricultural and residential purposes to villagers under restricted law of land use. In 2009, it was promoted as an agro-tourism attraction site. The arrival of tourists caused changes of land use from agricultural purpose to various services of tourism amenities, especially the accommodation business. Currently, there are about 100 accommodation businesses which were built in this area forming the remarkable landscape of over a hundred white dots of tents on the green cultivating hill. The analysis on development and patterns of spatial usage is presented by mapping and typological methods, using data from literature reviews, interviews, aerial photos, official news reports, and observation surveys to describe land use and related factors which were impacted to tourism development, including physical, political, economic, and social environments from the beginning of tourism development. The research found that the physical environment of nature and cultivating land were the origin of potential in tourism development. The related Acts affected interruption and control of tourism development, while Gazette No.2/2562 was interpreted as the promotion of tourism development. The conflict caused by the mentioned Acts and Gazette led to suspension of newly built accommodations in 2020.