Chonburi Province Research Articles

Monitoring of tritium concentrations in tap water and rainwater collected in Thailand.

This study aimed to measure tritium (3H) concentrations in Thailand. Nationwide tap water samples were collected in July 2021. Rainwater samples were collected monthly during May-October 2020, April-October 2021, and February-March 2022 in Chonburi province and in Chiang Mai province during July-November 2021, January 2022, and March-June 2022. The measurements of 3H activity concentrations were conducted by Osaka Sangyo University (OSU) and were compared with measurements by the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT). The results from OSU and TINT showed that 3H concentrations in tap water were matched in the ranged from 0.08±0.03 to 0.28±0.04BqL-1, while those in rainwater samples collected from Chonburi province and Chiang Mai province are also matched in the ranged from 0.11±0.02 to 0.21±0.03BqL-1 and 0.19±0.02 to 0.57±0.04BqL-1, respectively. Our measured result suggests that 3H concentration in tap water and rainwater shows a similar relation depending on latitude.

The Impact of Marketing Mix and Digital Integrated Marketing Communication on Improving Private Vocational Colleges Image in Chonburi Province

This research aims to explore the role of digital marketing communication and the marketing mix in creating and enhancing the image of private vocational colleges in Chonburi Province. The study focuses on four main objectives: (1) analyzing the demographics of students at these institutions, (2) examining the digital marketing strategies employed by the colleges, (3) investigating the application of the marketing mix, and (4) assessing the relationship between digital marketing communication and the marketing mix in enhancing the colleges' image. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research collected quantitative data from 388 students and qualitative insights from interviews with five college administrators. The findings reveal that the majority of students are male, enrolled in industrial programs, and generally have positive opinions about the digital marketing efforts and marketing mix employed by their institutions. College administrators recognize the significant impact of these strategies, particularly in areas such as curriculum development, service delivery, and public relations, which play a crucial role in strengthening the institution's image. This research highlights the importance of integrating digital marketing communication and the marketing mix to create a strong and memorable image for vocational colleges. By effectively meeting the needs and expectations of students, parents, and other stakeholders, these institutions can enhance their reputation and appeal.

The Role of Educational Institution Administrators in Operating the Student Care and Assistance System at Vocational Colleges in Chonburi Province

Background and Aims: The objectives of this research are as follows: 1. to study and evaluate the operational level of the student care and assistance system. Students in vocational colleges in Chonburi Province 2. To compare the performance of the student care and assistance system in such colleges classified by status. and 3. to propose guidelines for operations related to the role of school administrators in developing student care and support systems for students in vocational colleges in Chonburi Province. Methodology: The sample group in this research consisted of administrators and teachers from vocational educational institutions in Chonburi province, totaling 269 people, using questionnaires as a tool for collecting data. which has a reliability value of the questionnaire at 0.97. For data analysis, basic statistics were used, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. As for hypothesis testing, t-test statistics were used. Results: The finding found that (1) The opinion regarding the role of educational institution administrators in operating the student care and support system Students in vocational colleges in Chonburi Province Overall it is at a high level. (2) Level of opinions regarding the role of educational institution administrators in operating the student care and assistance system, classified by gender, found that overall there was no difference. When considering each aspect, it was found that the areas of student promotion and development were significantly different at the 0.05 level. While knowing each student individually student screening Preventing and solving student problems. And in the forwarding aspect, no differences were found. (3) Level of opinion regarding the role of educational institution administrators in operating the student care and assistance system, classified by status It was found that there was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level. Especially in the area of ​​student screening and in the area of ​​student promotion and development. which were significantly different at the 0.05 level, while no differences were found in other aspects. Conclusion: The study discovered that vocational college administrators in Chonburi Province are widely perceived to play an important role in student care and support. While gender had no overall impact on these opinions, there were differences in student promotion and development, and status had a significant influence on perceptions in areas such as student screening and development (p < 0.05).

The Use of Good Governance Principles in Educational Institution Administration by Administrators of Vocational Educational Institutions in Chonburi Province

Background and Aims: Administrators are considered to be the people who play the most important role in promoting and developing a culture of democracy and good governance in educational institutions. The management ability of the administrators affects various operations in the educational institution in order to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness. This research aims to study and compare the use of good governance principles. Including guidelines for managing educational institutions under vocational education in Chonburi Province. Considering the gender, position, and work experience of executives in each area. Methodology: The research sample consisted of 269 administrators and teachers in educational institutions under vocational education in Chonburi Province. The research instrument was a questionnaire with a 5-level rating scale with a confidence value of 0.97 and the concordance value (IOC) ranged from 0.8 to 1.00. There was a question about the use of good governance principles in the management of educational institutions among the said administrators. For data analysis, basic statistics were used, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Including testing with t-test and F-test to get accurate and reliable results. Results: (1) The results of the study found that opinions regarding the use of good governance principles in the administration of educational institutions by administrators under the vocational education department in Chonburi Province Overall it is at a high level. (2) When classifying the use of good governance principles by gender It was found that overall there was no difference. But when considering each aspect It was found that the moral aspect transparency. And the responsibility aspect is significantly different at the 0.05 level, while there is no difference in other aspects. (3) For classification by status It was found that school administrators and teachers used good governance principles in the overall management of educational institutions. But when considering each aspect It was found that the principles of participation responsibility and value for money are significantly different at the 0.05 level, while other aspects are not different. (4) Classification according to work experience It was found that the overall use of good governance principles was not different. But when considering transparency, it was found that there was a statistically significant difference at the 0.05 level. While the rule of law, morality, value for money responsibility and there was no difference in participation. Conclusion: The administration of an educational institution according to the principles of good governance consists of two groups of important people: 1) administrators, who are responsible for setting a clear vision, strategy, and policy for educational institution administration. 2) Teachers, whose role is to perform their duties in teaching and promoting the learning of pupils and students. Using a variety of teaching methods to develop students' full potential.

Transformational Leadership of Educational Institution Administrators under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Chonburi Province

Background and Aims: This research has the following objectives: 1) to study the level of transformational leadership behavior of school administrators under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Chonburi Province. 2) To compare opinions about the transformational leadership behavior of school administrators in Chonburi Province. 3) To find ways to develop transformational leadership of school administrators under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Chonburi Province. Methodology: The sample used in this research consisted of 276 school administrators and teachers. The sample size was determined according to Krejci and Morgan's table. and use stratified random sampling The research instrument was a questionnaire with a 5-level rating scale. Which has a consistency index between 0.80 - 1.00 and the confidence value of all questionnaires is equal to 0.98. For data analysis, statistics are used, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, T-value and F-value tests. Results: The results of the research are as follows: (1) the transformational leadership of educational institution administrators under the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Chonburi Province, overall and in each area, is at a high level. (2) Results of comparing opinions about transformational leadership of school administrators classified by position and work experience. It was found that overall and in each aspect there were no differences. But when classified by educational level It was found that there was a statistical significant difference at the 0.05 level. (3) Guidelines for developing transformational leadership among school administrators are divided into 3 approaches: 1) development by external agencies, 2) development by educational institutions, and 3) development by oneself. Conclusion: The study finds that transformational leadership among educational institution administrators in Chonburi is generally high, with no significant differences based on position or work experience, but the educational level has a significant impact. External agencies, educational institutions, and personal efforts can all help to develop this type of leadership.

Seroprevalence of antibodies against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis across various age groups during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period in Chonburi Province, Thailand.

BackgroundLimited data exists regarding population immunity against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis in Thailand during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period. This study aimed to evaluate the age-specific seroprevalence of anti-diphtheria toxoid (anti-DT) IgG, anti-tetanus toxoid (anti-TT) IgG, and anti-pertussis toxin (anti-PT) IgG in individuals across diverse age groups in Chonburi province, Thailand following the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsBetween October 2022 and January 2023, a total of 657 participants from Chonburi Province, Thailand, were included in this study. The participants were categorized into 9 age groups: < 5, 5-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, and > 70 years. Analysis of anti-DT, anti-TT, and anti-PT IgG levels was conducted using commercial ELISA kits (EUROIMMUN, Lübeck, Germany). ResultsOverall, 65.4% of the population had seroprotection against diphtheria (antibody level ≥0.1 IU/mL), while 95.1% had seroprotection against tetanus (antibody level ≥0.1 IU/mL). The 31-40 years age group exhibited the lowest seroprotection for diphtheria (48.9%), and the > 70 years age group had the lowest seroprotection for tetanus (73.3%). The < 5 years age group showed the highest seropositive rate and highest geometric mean titers for anti-PT IgG. On the contrary, the majority of individuals over 11 years of age displayed anti-PT IgG levels below 40 IU/mL. ConclusionsTo prevent diphtheria and pertussis outbreaks in Chonburi province, implementing catch-up vaccination is necessary. Targeted interventions should be deployed to enhance vaccination coverage among the susceptible population.

Understanding Knowledge and Health Behaviors Regarding Noise Prevention Practices Among Workers in a Small Automotive Parts Manufacturer in Chonburi Province

Understanding Knowledge and Health Behaviors Regarding Noise Prevention Practices Among Workers in a Small Automotive Parts Manufacturer in Chonburi Province

Innovation Improvement of the Elderly’s Quality of Life in Eastern Economic Corridor through the Folk Sports Wisdom

According to the increase of elderly population, the development of quality of life of the elderly is essential. So, the researcher decided to create innovations in improving the effective quality of life of the elderly in Eastern Economic Corridor through the folk sports wisdom. The sample was 90 elderly aged between 60-84 years old of the Ban Bueng Municipal elderly school and the elderly school of Map Phai Subdistrict Administration Organization, Ban Bueng district, Chonburi province, participated in innovative activities which created by the research team for a period of 5 weeks, 1 day for 3 hours. Statistical analysis included Frequency, Percentage, Mean, and Standard Deviation. The results showed that satisfaction on innovations in improving the effective quality of life of the elderly, in terms of location, equipment, and facilities, in terms of staffs organizing activities, and management and operations were at the highest level as well as the quality of life of the elderly after participating in activities, in terms of environment, physical and mental health was good while the social relations was at a moderate level. The elderly was satisfied with their own lives, worked well and got around by themselves, and built good social relationship among friends, and also chose age-appropriate recreational activities.

Discrimination model of geographical area from coconut milk by near-infrared spectroscopy: Exploration in tandem with classical chemometrics, machine learning, and deep learning

This work proposes exploring the discrimination model by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy (FT-NIR and Micro-NIR) for geographical source areas of coconut milk in tandem with the classical to modern chemometrics classifier. The discrimination model was developed using qualitative chemometrics techniques from classic (Principal Component Analysis-PCA, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis-PLS-DA, Linear Discriminant Analysis-LDA) to modern, including classifiers from machine learning (Support Vector Machine-SVM, k-Nearest Neighbor-KNN, Artificial Neural Network-ANN) and deep learning (Simple Convolutional Neural Networks-S-CNN, S-AlexNET, Residual Networks-ResNET). Three sources as geographical areas of coconut milk originally from Thailand were used, including the south region (Chumphon Province), middle region (Samut Songkhram Province), and east region (Chonburi Province). Our findings showed that a classifier from SVM and ResNET could yield the optimal performance for discriminating the geographical source area of coconut milk using FT-NIR. Furthermore, when using Micro-NIR, the classifier from LDA, SVM, KNN and ResNET delivered the highest accuracy. The performance discrimination models above were excellent when classified based on the kappa coefficient. This study concluded that both FT-NIR and Micro-NIR supported by classical to modern chemometric classifiers could be used to evaluate the geographical area source from coconut milk. Also, the method in this study includes a strategy for discovering feature-important NIR spectra for interpretability purposes, thereby facilitating the qualitative interpretation of results for all types of classifiers.

Assessment of 4th Grade School Students' Rabies Protection Motivation and Preventive Behavior in Chonburi Province, Thailand

Assessment of 4th Grade School Students' Rabies Protection Motivation and Preventive Behavior in Chonburi Province, Thailand

The Impact of Organic and Chemical Organic Fertilizers on the Efficiency of Cadmium Mobility Reduction by Potassium Hydroxide Modified Biochar

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of organic and chemical organic fertilizers on the translocation of cadmium in crude oil-contaminated soil treated with potassium hydroxide-modified biochar (KOH-biochar). The soil sample was collected from Chonburi Province. The soil was characterized as moderately acidic sandy loam with relatively low organic matter, medium salinity, medium cation exchange capacity, and high nutrient levels. The concentration of cadmium in the soil fell within the acceptable range for agricultural use. The KOH-biochar exhibited strong alkalinity, a high carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and an oxygen/carbon (O/C) ratio. Crude oil was slightly acidic, with high organic matter content and low sulfur and cadmium concentrations. The synthetic soil created in this study composed of 5% crude oil, and 100 mg/kg of cadmium. KOH-biochar, organic and chemical organic fertilizers were applied to this synthetic soil. Subsequently, the soil was subjected to extraction with 0.005 M diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (DTPA), and a sequential extraction method was employed to determine six different forms of cadmium in the soil samples. Cadmium concentrations in the extracts were measured using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The findings revealed that fertilizers effectively slowed down the movement of cadmium. Fertilizer application led to the transformation of cadmium from unstable forms to more stable forms within the soil. Fertilizer with the highest organic matter content and pH showed the least cadmium mobility. Increased nitrogen and phosphorus content in the fertilizer resulted in slightly higher cadmium mobility within the soil. Conversely, higher potassium content in the fertilizer led to slightly reduced cadmium mobility in the soil.

Air quality assessment of poultry and swine houses in Chonburi Province

ABSTRACT The increased consumption of animal products has led to a proliferation of animal husbandry operations, particularly in agricultural countries. Animal husbandry facilities or livestock farming directly impact the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the environment, giving rise to various issues such as odors, contamination of water and air sources with pathogens, and potential contamination of meat products originating from these facilities. This research aims to assess the impacts on the physical (temperature, relative humidity and air velocity), chemical (carbon dioxide, total volatile organic compounds and particulate matter), and biological air quality assessment (amount and type of bioaerosols) aspects resulting from pig and poultry farming. The findings will serve as valuable data for managing and addressing these aforementioned issues. It was found that both in poultry and swine houses generated total suspended particles (TSP) and PM10 (Particulate Matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less). Analysis of poultry house exhaust revealed elevated concentrations of TSP and PM10 exceeding established health benchmarks. Chickens tend to produce a higher concentration of VOCs (2.07 ± 0.57 ppm) compared to swine (0.82 ± 0.53 ppm). Staphylococcus epidermidis was predominant bacteria in both swine and poultry houses while Cladosporium sp was the most prevalent fungi in poultry houses. These results in this study are very useful for developing targeted mitigation strategies, products, devices to address specific pollutants produced by each type of livestock, reducing overall environmental impact and improving air quality within and around animal husbandry facilities. Implications: This research highlights how the growing demand for meat is affecting the environment, especially in farming areas. By studying the effects of pig and poultry farming on things like air and water quality, the study shows the challenges these farms pose, like bad smells and pollution. They found that both types of farms release a lot of tiny particles and smelly chemicals into the air, but there are differences between them. Understanding these findings can help us develop ways to reduce the pollution from these farms and make the air cleaner for everyone.

A Study of SHA Plus Business Adoption of Social Media Using TOE Framework and Its Impact on Non-Financial Performance: An Empirical Study of Foodservice Sector in Chonburi Province, Thailand

This study aims to investigate the TOE factors that positively influence social media adoption in SHA Plus businesses in the food service sector and examine the impact of social media adoption on non-financial performance. The study used a questionnaire survey to collect data from 300 Thai SHA Plus restaurants and used regression analysis for hypothesis testing. The findings suggest that technological, organizational, and environmental contexts are significant TOE factors that positively affect social media adoption in SHA Plus businesses. Moreover, after the implementation of social media, all non-financial performance factors, including innovativeness, competitive advantage, and customer satisfaction, are relatively significant in shaping the sustainable performance of the SHA Plus business. The study contributes to the literature on business practices and crisis management, providing practical implications for business owners and policymakers to adopt innovative practices and generate sustainability in SHA Plus non-financial performance. By identifying the critical TOE factors that influence social media adoption and the non-financial performance outcomes associated with social media adoption, this study can help SHA Plus businesses in the food service sector enhance their success in the business world.

Developing an Emotional Labor Scale for Employees in the Service Industry

Purpose: This research aims to develop an emotional labor scale and examine the consistency of the emotional labor measurement model with empirical data. The study focuses on individuals with long-term work experience and incorporates cross-cultural perspectives to address gaps in current research. Additionally, it seeks to create a standardized model for measuring and evaluating emotional labor that is applicable to contemporary work environments. Methodology: The population is front-service employees of hotels in Chonburi Province, and the sample consists of 280 front-service employees of hotels in Pattaya City, Chonburi Province. The research methodology for developing the emotional labor scale in this phase is quantitative research, using confirmatory factor analysis to examine the consistency of the emotional labor measurement model. Findings: The results of the model fit analysis and quality assessment of the CFA model found that the RMSEA (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation) was 0.217, indicating a lack of fit between the model and data. The CFI (Comparative Fit Index) was 0.591. The TLI (Tucker-Lewis Index) was 0.442. Finally, the IFI (Incremental Fit Index) was 0.595. Based on the presented indices, this model has a poor fit with the data. The RMSEA, CFI, TLI, and IFI values are lower than the recommended criteria, indicating a discrepancy between the model and data. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: These findings suggest that current emotional labor measurement models may not accurately capture the experiences of workers across different cultures and with varying lengths of work experience. Policymakers and organizations should consider developing more nuanced and culturally sensitive approaches to assess and manage emotional labor in the workplace. This could involve creating tailored training programs, revising performance evaluation metrics, and implementing supportive policies that acknowledge the complexity of emotional labor across diverse work environments.

Tick diversity and molecular detection of Anaplasma, Babesia, and Theileria from Khao Kheow open zoo, Chonburi Province, Thailand.

Ticks are obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites notorious for their role as vectors for various pathogens, posing health risks to pets, livestock, wildlife, and humans. Wildlife also notably serves as reservoir hosts for tick-borne pathogens and plays a pivotal role in the maintenance and dissemination of these pathogenic agents within ecosystems. This study investigated the diversity of ticks and pathogens in wildlife and their habitat by examining ticks collected at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi Province, Thailand. Tick samples were collected for 1 year from March 2021 to March 2022 by vegetation dragging and direct sampling from wildlife. A total of 10,436 ticks or 449 tick pools (1-50 ticks per pool) underwent screening for pathogen presence through conventional PCR and DNA sequencing. Out of the 298 samples (66.37%) where bacteria and protozoa were detected, encompassing 8,144 ticks at all stages, 114 positive samples from the PCR screenings were specifically chosen for detailed nucleotide sequencing and comprehensive analysis. Four species of ticks were conclusively identified through the application of PCR, namely, Rhipicephalus microplus, Dermacentor auratus, Haemaphysalis lagrangei, and Haemaphysalis wellingtoni. The highest infection rate recorded was for Anaplasma spp. at 55.23% (248/449), followed by Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. at 29.62% (133/449) and 16.26% (73/449), respectively. Among bacteria identified, three Anaplasma genotypes were closely related to an unidentified Anaplasma spp., A. phagocytophilum, and A. bovis. Among protozoa, only an unidentified Babesia spp. was found, whereas two Theileria genotypes found were closely related to unidentified Theileria spp. and T. equi. Significantly, our findings revealed coinfection with Anaplasma spp., Theileria spp., and Babesia spp. While blood samples from wildlife were not specifically collected to assess infection in this study, the data on the presence of various pathogens in ticks observed can serve as valuable indicators to assess the health status of wildlife populations and to monitor disease dynamics. The findings could be valuable in developing programs for the treatment, prevention, and control of tick-borne illnesses in this area. However, additional research is required to determine the ticks' ability to transmit these pathogens and enhance the current understanding of the relationship among pathogens, ticks, and hosts.

Genetic diversity and host specificity of Blastocystis in reptiles, Eastern Thailand

Blastocystis inhabits the digestive tracts of a diverse range of hosts. Transmission patterns, including host specificity, and the clinical and public health significance of Blastocystis in humans remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the distribution and genetic diversity of Blastocystis in herbivorous and carnivorous reptiles in Eastern Thailand. A total of 501 faecal samples were collected from 363 iguanas, 79 bearded dragons, 50 tortoises, and nine snakes in an animal breeding farm in Chonburi Province, Eastern Thailand. Detection and differentiation of Blastocystis was based on amplification, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of specific small subunit (SSU) ribosomal RNA genes from faecal DNA extracted from the samples. Altogether 101/501 samples (20 %) were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing-positive for Blastocystis, 90 (89 %) of which were from iguanas; the remaining positive samples were from African spurred tortoise (n=6), Bearded dragon (n=3), Leopard tortoise (n=1), and Red-footed tortoise (n=1). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most of the Blastocystis sequences from iguanas were largely similar, and they were distinct from those of the tortoises. Subtype 17 was found in the three bearded dragons and likely reflected Blastocystis from prey animals. This is the largest survey of Blastocystis in reptiles to date. Remarkable differences in Blastocystis colonization rates and genetic diversity were observed between iguanas and other reptile orders, and what was considered Blastocystis colonization was only observed in herbivorous reptiles.

Impact of Climate on the Incidence of Acute Coronary Syndrome - Differences Between Japan and Thailand.

Background: Although there are many reports of temperature being associated with the onset of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), few studies have examined differences in ACS due to climatic differences between Japan and Thailand. The aim of this joint Japan-Thailand study was to compare patients with myocardial infarction in Japanese and Thai hospitals in different climates. Methods and Results: We estimated the climate data in 2021 for the Wakayama Prefecture and Chonburi Province, two medium-sized cities in Japan and Thailand, respectively, and ACS patients who were treated at the Wakayama Medical University (WMU) and Burapha University Hospital (BUH), the two main hospitals in these provinces (ACS patient numbers: WMU, n=177; BUH, n=93), respectively. In the Chonburi Province, although the average temperature was above 25℃, the number of ACS cases in BUH varied up to threefold between months (minimum: July, 4 cases; maximum: October, 14 cases). In Japan and Thailand, there was a mild to moderate negative correlation between temperature-atmospheric pressure at the onset of ACS, but different patterns for temperature-humidity (temperature-atmospheric pressure, temperature-humidity, and atmospheric pressure-humidity: correlation index; r=-0.561, 0.196, and -0.296 in WMU vs. r=-0.356, -0.606, and -0.502 in BUH). Conclusions: The present study suggests that other climatic conditions and factors, not just temperature, might be involved in the mechanism of ACS.

Morphological Variation and New Description of the Subcutaneous Gland of Sepiella inermis (Van Hasselt, 1835) in Thai Waters

The external morphology and morphological variations of Sepiella inermis vary across regions, necessitating investigation. However, the histological information on the subcutaneous gland has been insufficient to describe it. In this study, specimens were systematically collected and characterized from the Gulf of Thailand. Regarding external morphology, female cuttlebones exhibit greater width and more pronounced curves compared to males, while males feature 17–19 white dots along the fin margins. The presence of the subcutaneous gland was discerned during the embryonic stage at stage 19. A histological study of the subcutaneous gland illustrated the structure and development of the gland in both embryonic and adult stages, with four layers of membranes covering the gland. In the adult stage, trabeculae are dispersed throughout the gland, whereas in the embryonic stage, they form four distinct lines. The morphometric analysis revealed significant differences between males and females (p &lt; 0.05) and the morphological variations within both sexes across the seven study areas exhibit significant differences (p &lt; 0.05). According to the discriminant analysis results, there were significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) between the groups in Surat Thani Province. Examining the length–weight relationship between dorsal mantle length and body weight showed significant differences between the sexes, indicating an allometric growth.

Analyze Strategies for Diversifying the Country's Economy Driven by Tourism Using Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand as a Case Study. To Reduce Fragility and Increase Economic Stability

Purpose: This study investigates ways to enhance economic stability in tourism-dependent regions, using Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand, as a case study.&#x0D; Theoretical Reference: Thailand's heavy reliance on tourism, constituting about 17% of its GDP, sets the context. The study gathers insights from SMEs in Chonburi Province through in-depth interviews.&#x0D; Method: In-depth interviews with SMEs reveal challenges faced by small hotel businesses, including high taxation and substantial expenses, with a focus on labor costs and pre-existing issues like excessive charges.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results and Conclusion: Prioritizing the hotel industry over attracting new tourists is key. Post-COVID-19 economic stability in Pattaya's tourism industry requires a comprehensive approach involving industry revitalization, diversification, support for local businesses, sustainable practices, infrastructure investments, marketing, and government-industry collaboration.&#x0D; Implications of Research: This research underscores the importance of addressing challenges in tourism-driven regions during crises and offers practical insights for safeguarding economic stability.&#x0D; Originality/Value: The study's unique focus on Pattaya provides valuable insights for similar regions, offering strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities caused by external shocks like pandemics.

Short Communication: The oleaginous Candida tropicalis isolated from mangrove soil in eastern Thailand and the fatty acid composition profile of its intracellular lipids

Abstract. Wongchamrearn S, Boontanom P, Ungwiwatkul S, Emnin N, Chantarasiri A. 2023. Short Communication: The oleaginous Candida tropicalis isolated from mangrove soil in eastern Thailand and the fatty acid composition profile of its intracellular lipids. Biodiversitas 24: 5088-5095. Oleaginous yeasts are microorganisms that can accumulate intracellular lipids at a rate of more than 20% of their cell dry weight. They are considered ideal microbes for a sustainable bioeconomy and a promising source for biotechnological applications. Thus, the exploration of efficient oleaginous yeasts from various environments is necessitated. At present, the number of oleaginous yeasts that have been discovered from mangrove environments remains scarce. Therefore, this study isolated and screened for lipid-accumulating yeast strains in mangrove soil samples collected from Rayong Province and Chonburi Province, Thailand. The intracellular lipids of isolated yeasts were extracted and quantitatively analyzed to evaluate the efficient oleaginous strains. Fifteen yeast strains were considered lipid-accumulating yeasts based on the Sudan IV staining method and lipid content determination, with intracellular lipid accumulation ranging from 5.71±1.89% (w/w) to 33.83±1.41% (w/w). The isolated yeast strain MJ13 was designated the most efficient oleaginous strain and subsequently genetically identified as Candida tropicalis. The fatty acid composition of its intracellular lipids was analyzed by gas chromatography, which consisted of five saturated fatty acids and five unsaturated fatty acids with 10-22 carbon atoms. The predominant fatty acids were palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids. Some fatty acids essential to the human body and pharmacological sciences were detected, involving a-linolenic (C18:3n3) and cis-13,16-docosadienoic (C22:2) acids. This oleaginous yeast strain could be applied in lipid-related biofuel and high-value bioeconomy applications.