Guidelines for development in conservation of cultural tourism in Chinatown Bangkok under the disruption era

. The purposes of this study were to (1) propose guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation, (2) explore the travel behavior of tourists, and (3) study the tourist demand in respect of tourism components and surrounding areas. The samples comprised 5 residents of Chinatown and 400 tourists. The mixed methods approach was chosen as the design for this study, which involves the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Questionnaires and interviews were used as a research tool to collect data. The statistics employed in data analysis consisted of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA.


Introduction
Tourism industry is considered one of the most important service industries driving the Thai economy and is growing at a rapid pace. The current changes in the travel and tourism sector have prompted Thailand to increase its competitiveness, whereby government, organizations, and other related parties need to adapt and develop their capacity in order to survive and thrive in the industry sustainably. Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity that has gained popularity over the past years owing to the fact that it plays a major role in cultural heritage conservation. There are numerous cultural attractions in Thailand, one of which is Chinatown or the so-called Yaowarat, which is a popular destination among tourists.
According to the preliminary study, it was found that Chinatown has a distinct culture as it represents the oldest and largest Chinese community in Thailand. It is also regarded as one of the major tourist attractions in Bangkok with a plethora of unique traditions, crafts, religion, and food-all of which have been inherited from Mainland Chinese immigrants who settled in the area during the Rattanakosin era. Popular landmarks in Chinatown include "Yaowarat Road" or Mangkon Road, which is a prosperous neighborhood with a distinctive and vibrant atmosphere, making it highly popular among both Thai and foreign visitors [1].
The economic growth and changes in Yaowarat, particularly in the aspect of tourism, have caused the land price to continuously increase every year. While many businesses and major projects have been developed in Yaowarat district, multiple local businesses have shut down and are being replaced by newcomers. Moreover, the recent development of infrastructure such as subway stations has resulted in numerous changes accompanied by modernization and rapid growth of economic and tourism activities. Such urban modernization has raised many questions about the future of Yaowarat [2].
In that regard, the researcher was intrigued to study and develop guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown in the disruption era [3]. The findings of this study would ultimately pave the way for Chinatown's residents and related parties to devise a strategic plan for the development of cultural tourism conservation and optimize efficiency of the tourism industry in Thailand.

Methodology
This study adopted the mixed methods approach that involves the combined use of qualitative and quantitative methods.

Population and Sample
The qualitative research consisted of two parts: (1) interviews with residents of Bangkok's Chinatown to study guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation in the disruption era; and (2) review of related literature.
The population used in the quantitative research comprised tourists in Bangkok's Chinatown. The samples were selected using the non-probability sampling technique with purposive selection, which resulted in an infinite population. Hence, the sample size was determined by using the formula of W.G. Cochran [4] and was found to be 384. For the completeness of the study, the researcher decided to use the sample size of 400 and the samples were chosen by means of convenience sampling

Research tools
1) The researcher has collected data from related research theoretical concepts in the construction of questionnaires to know the relationship of internal and external latent variables and observe variables for development into a query structure.
2) Prepare a questionnaire according to the structure studied by the researcher and bring it to 5 relevant experts from academics and executives involved in the auto parts industry to examine the IOC's confidence value to verify corresponds to the question that the researcher has put up with the research objectives determined by the researcher and corresponds to the problem of the research. The values obtained must be between 0.5-1 if the value is below 0.5 should the new questions must be revised to reflect the objectives to be measured.
3) The questionnaires were improved according to expert recommendations and applied to 30 samples before the actual use to verify each question is exact and the same line and direction.
4) The results obtained from the collected data of 30 samples were examined for Cronbach Alpha's Reliability (Cronbach 'alpha) with a confidence value of 0.70 or more is considered to have high confidence [6] able to be used to collect the actual data until the deadline is reached.

Population and sampling
The research tools employed in the qualitative research were: (1) interviews with 5 residents of Bangkok's Chinatown; and (2) review of academic papers and related literature.
Alternatively, data in the quantitative research were collected through a questionnaire, which was designed and constructed by the researcher based on concepts, theories, and related research papers. The questionnaire was divided into three parts as follows: Part 1 consisted of 6 multiple-choice questions related to the demographic profile of the respondents, namely age, gender, level of education, marital status, monthly income, and occupation.
Part 2 consisted of 6 multiple-choice questions related to the travel behavior of tourists for the development of cultural tourism conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown in the disruption era.
Part 3 consisted of 30 five-point Likert scale questions related to 10 components of tourism and areas surrounding Bangkok's Chinatown.

Data analysis
Qualitative data were collected from the purposely selected samples to obtain clear and meaningful responses, whereby data were analyzed using the inductive approach in conjunction with direct observation. Information obtained from related literature were synthesized by means of content analysis.
Quantitative data were analyzed and interpreted using the following statistics: 1. Descriptive statistics, consisting of frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation 2. Inferential statistics, comprising t-test and one-way ANOVA

Part 2. Travel Behavior of Tourists for the Development of Cultural Tourism Conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown
The travel behaviour of the respondents was categorized by the number of visits, travel companion, mode of transport, purpose of travel, spending per trip, and source of information. The results are as follows: With respect to the number of visits, 206 out 400 (51.5%) respondents visited Bangkok's Chinatown for the first time, 160 (40.0%) had visited 2-3 times, and 27 (6.8%) had visited more than 5 times. In terms of travel companion, 172 (43.0%) respondents traveled with friends, 100 (25.0%) traveled with their spouse or partner, and 52 (13.0%) traveled with a tour group.
Regarding the mode of transport, 161 (40.3%) respondents traveled by private car, 152 (38.0%) traveled by public transport, and 66 (16.5%) traveled by tour bus. The most common purpose of travel was leisure or recreation (70.3%), followed by acquisition of new experiences (11.3%) and cultural immersion (9.5%).
In terms of spending, 207 (51.8%) respondents spent 5,001-9,999 Baht per trip, 146 (36.5%) spent more than 10,000 Baht per trip, and 47 (11.8%) spent 3,001-5,000 Baht per trip. As for the source of information, the majority of the respondents obtained information from the internet (39.0%), followed by television or radio (24.0%) and tourism exhibition (22.8%). According to Table 1, the respondents strongly agreed with the statements pertaining to tourist attractions (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had the same level of agreement to all three statements (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49). More specifically, the respondents strongly agreed that: Chinatown has a unique and memorable identity; Chinatown is a popular tourist destination; and Chinatown has an interesting history. According to Table 2, the respondents strongly agreed with the statements pertaining to the accessibility of Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had the same level of agreement to all three statements (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49).

Part 3. Tourism Components and Areas Surrounding Bangkok's Chinatown
More specifically, the respondents strongly agreed that: Chinatown is easily accessible; Chinatown has clear road signs and symbols; and Chinatown has good road conditions.  Table 3, the respondents agreed with the statements pertaining to the availability of amenities in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 3.51; SD = 0.67). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had the highest level of agreement to the statement alleging that Chinatown has sufficient food and beverage services (X = 4.59; SD = 0.50). Meanwhile, the respondents were neutral to the statements insinuating that Chinatown has sufficient parking spaces (X = 2.97; SD = 0.76) and Chinatown has sufficient and clean restrooms (X = 2.97; SD = 0.76).  Table 4, the respondents agreed with the statements pertaining to the accommodation in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 4.06; SD = 0.80). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had a high level of agreement to the statements alleging that most of the accommodation facilities in Chinatown meet the quality standards and offer reasonable prices (X = 4.16; SD = 0.77). In addition, the respondents slightly agreed that Chinatown has sufficient accommodation facilities such as hotels and guest houses (X = 3.86; SD = 0.86).  Table 5, the respondents agreed with the statements pertaining to tourist activities and programs in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 3.42; SD = 0.74). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had a high level of agreement to the statement alleging that most of the tourists plan to try local food in Chinatown (X = 4.13; SD = 0.66). Meanwhile, the respondents were neutral to the statements insinuating that most of the tourists plan to explore the Chinese culture in Chinatown (X = 3.16; SD = 0.81) and the way of life of local people in Chinatown (X = 2.97; SD = 0.76).  Table 6, the respondents agreed with the statements pertaining to the food and beverage services in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 4.15; SD = 0.63). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had a high level of agreement to all three statements. More specifically, the respondents agreed that: the food and beverage outlets in Chinatown meet the quality standards (X = 4.18; SD = 0.60); the prices of food and beverages in Chinatown are reasonable (X = 4.14; SD = 0.64); and Chinatown has a variety of food and beverage outlets (X = 4.13; SD = 0.66).  Table 7, the respondents agreed with the statements pertaining to the souvenirs in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 3.83; SD = 0.69). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had a high level of agreement to all three statements. More specifically, the respondents agreed that: local products and souvenirs are available for purchase (X = 4.15; SD = 0.79); there are a variety of souvenirs with different prices to choose from (X = 3.71; SD = 0.81); and the prices of souvenirs in Chinatown are reasonable (X = 3.64; SD = 0.48). According to Table 8, the respondents strongly agreed with the statements pertaining to tour guiding services in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 4.44; SD = 0.50). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had the same level of agreement to all three statements (X = 4.44; SD = 0.50). More specifically, the respondents strongly agreed that: the local guide is able to provide comprehensive information; the local guide has a hospitable and friendly attitude; and the local guide displays honesty in the provision of services.  Table 9, the respondents had an overall neutral opinion towards the statements pertaining to additional service offerings in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 2.78; SD = 0.49). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents had a high level of agreement to the statement alleging that Chinatown has sufficient ATM booths (X = 3.53; SD = 0.50). Meanwhile, the respondents had a low level of agreement to the statements asserting that Chinatown has healthcare facilities located nearby (X = 2.47; SD = 0.50) and has post boxes (X = 2.35; SD = 0.48). According to Table 10, the respondents strongly agreed with the statements pertaining to participation opportunities in Bangkok's Chinatown (X = 4.35; SD = 0.60). After considering each statement separately, it was found that the respondents strongly agreed that tourists are given the opportunity to observe the way of life, as well as the culture and traditions, of local people in Chinatown (X = 4.48; SD = 0.50). Moreover, the respondents agreed that tourists are given the opportunity to express their opinions on the development of Chinatown (X = 4.10; SD = 0.79).

Part 4. Summary of Findings from Interviews
Upon analysis of data collected through in-depth interviews with 5 residents of Chinatown concerning the guidelines and community readiness for the development of cultural tourism conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown in the disruption era, the results are as follows: All 5 respondents have participated in the activities to promote tourism in the community. During the past 1-2 years, each respondent has participated in the development of tourist attractions no more than 4 times [5,6]. Moreover, all respondents have engaged in the formulation of a plan to develop tourist attractions within the community in the aspects of the conservation of cultural tourism, the conservation of tourism resources, and the provision of services to tourists who visit Chinatown.
The results of analysis of data collected through in-depth interviews with 5 residents of Chinatown in respect of the guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown are as follows: All respondents were of the same opinion that the unpredictability of the future is an obstacle to the development of cultural tourism conservation in Chinatown. The knowledge of the community should be constantly developed to generate new innovations to attract tourists [7]. Furthermore, the respondents proposed similar guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation, which include encouraging the community to introduce new innovations and differentiate Chinatown from other tourist destinations in order to sustainably promote cultural tourism in the area. Likewise, all respondents perceived that everyone in the community, including merchants, business owners, students, and public and private organizations, plays a significant role in the development of cultural tourism conservation in Chinatown.

Part 1. Demographic Profile
Upon analysis of the demographic profile of 400 tourists in Bangkok's Chinatown in terms of gender, age, level of education, marital status, monthly income, and occupation, it was found that 69.0% of respondents were female and 31.0% were male. The majority of the respondents were 20-29 years of age (40.3%), followed by 30-39 years of age (31.5%) and 40-49 years of age (12.3%). Moreover, 87.3% of respondents attained a bachelor's degree of equivalent, 8.3% attained a master's degree, and 3.3% attained an associate degree or lower. In terms of marital status, 71.3% of respondents were single and 28.8% were married. A vast majority of the respondents had a monthly income of 10,000-20,000 Baht (71.0%), followed by 20,001-30,000 Baht (23.8%) and 10,000 Baht or lower (3.3%). As for occupation, 40.0% of respondents were employees, 26.3% were business owners or entrepreneurs, and 24.5% were merchants. These results are consistent with the findings of the study conducted by [8] on the development of cultural tourism in Ta Khu Village, Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The results of such study found that there were statistically significant differences in the level of community readiness between the two groups in terms of age and level of education (p>0.05).

Part 2. Travel Behavior of Tourists for the Development of Cultural Tourism Conservation in Chinatown
Based on the analysis of the travel behavior of 400 tourists in Bangkok's Chinatown in terms of number of visits, travel companion, mode of transport, purpose of travel, spending per trip, and source of information, the results show that 51.5% of respondents visited Bangkok's Chinatown the first time, 40.0% had visited 2-3 times, and 6.8% had visited more than 5 times. In respect of travel companion, 43.0% of respondents traveled with friends, 25.0% traveled with family, and 13.0% traveled with a tour group. The most common mode of transport was private car (40.3%), followed by public transport (38.0%) and tour bus (16.5%). In addition, 70.3% of respondents traveled for recreation or leisure, 11.3% traveled to acquire new experiences, and 9.5% traveled to embrace the culture of Chinatown.
Regarding the spending per trip, 51.8% of respondents spent 5,001-9,999 Baht per trip, 36.5% spent more than 10,000 Baht per trip, and 11.8% spent 3,001-5,000 Baht per trip. As for the source of information, 39.0% of respondents obtained information from the internet, 24.0% obtained information from television or radio, and 22.8% obtained information from a tourism exhibition. These results conform to the findings of the study conducted by [9] on the behavior and travel patterns of international tourists visiting Chiang Rai province.
Their results showed that the majority of tourists traveled for recreational purposes and the main sources of information used for travel decision making were friends and family, travel guidebooks, and internet. Moreover, most of the tourists did not use tour guiding services; they preferred to travel independently by public transport and chose to stay at a guest house. With respect to travel patterns, the majority of tourists preferred to travel to new destinations; change the travel plan and itinerary; seek an adventurous and challenging experience; and travel to places with no or limited facilities.

Part 3. Tourism Components and Areas Surrounding Bangkok's Chinatown
According to the results of data analysis, it was found that the respondents had the highest level of agreement to the statements pertaining to attractions (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49), accessibility (X = 4.59; SD = 0.49), tour guiding services (X = 4.44; SD = 0.50), and participation (X = 4.35; SD = 0.60). Meanwhile, the respondents had a high level of agreement to the statements pertaining to accommodation (X = 4.06; SD = 0.80), tourist activities and programs (X = 3.42; SD = 0.74), food and beverage services (X = 4.15; SD = 0.63), and souvenirs (X = 3.83; SD = 0.69). Additionally, the respondents had a medium level of agreement to the statements pertaining to service offerings (X = 2.78; SD = 0.49). These results are consistent with what has been found in the study conducted by [6] on the guidelines for cultural tourism development: a case study of Wat Bang Hua Suea community, Phra Pradaeng District, Samut Prakan Province. The foregoing study postulated several strategies to achieve optimal capacity in the development of cultural tourism in Wat Bang Hua Suea community.
More specifically, the study suggested that: (1) in the aspect of folk museum, lighting should be improved in the antique display cabinets, labels or signs should be provided for each antique to indicate its place of origin and significance, and tour guiding services should be offered to visitors; (2) in the aspect of floating market, product prices should be controlled by displaying price labels, good manners and etiquettes should be promoted across merchants, and the market should be cleaned regularly; (3) in the aspect of mural painting, the description of each painting should be provided to enable visitors to study the painting by themselves; (4) in the aspect of the management of tourist attractions, the environment and surroundings should be improved in terms of aesthetics, orderliness, and convenience, the local community should participate and attend to the safety of tourists, activities should be publicized extensively, consciousness of cultural conservation should be promoted across the community, and local products should be developed and improved in terms of attractiveness and quality.
Regarding the quantitative analysis of data collected through in-depth interviews with 5 residents of Chinatown in respect of the guidelines and community readiness for the development of cultural tourism conservation in Bangkok's Chinatown in the disruption era, the results are as follows: All 5 respondents have participated in the activities to promote tourism in the community. During the past 1-2 years, each respondent has participated in the development of tourist attractions no more than 4 times. All respondents have engaged in the formulation of a plan to develop tourist attractions within the community in the aspects of the conservation of cultural tourism, the conservation of tourism resources, and the provision of services to tourists who visit Chinatown [10].
With respect to the guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation, all 5 respondents were of the same opinion that the unpredictability of the future is an obstacle to the development of cultural tourism conservation in Chinatown and that the knowledge of the community should be constantly developed to generate new innovations to attract tourists.
Moreover, all respondents proposed similar guidelines for the development of cultural tourism conservation, which include encouraging the community to introduce new innovations and differentiate Chinatown from other tourist destinations in order to sustainably promote cultural tourism in the area. Likewise, all respondents perceived that everyone in the community, including merchants, business owners, students, and public and private organizations, plays a significant role in the development of cultural tourism conservation in Chinatown.
These results conform to the findings of the study conducted by [11] on the development of cultural tourism in Khlong Daen floating market, Ranot District, Songkhla Province. Their study found that the majority of respondents had knowledge, understanding, and readiness for the development of cultural tourism, owing to the fact that everyone in the community contributed to the management of tourism and that the community had the capacity to develop cultural tourism [12].
The guidelines for the development of cultural tourism in Khlong Daen floating market were predominantly implemented on a tripartite basis in which the public sector, private sector, and local community were involved. Emphases were placed on the community identity, along with the conservation of local arts, culture, and traditions, to achieve sustainable tourism. Nevertheless, support from related agencies were essential to transform Khlong Daen floating market into a successful and sustainable cultural destination.