THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIOLOGICAL MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE HALAL TOURISM FOR SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THAILAND

Abstract

This study aimed to 1) examine the situation and potential of halal tourism in Thailand, 2) analyze sociological factors affecting sustainable halal tourism development, and 3) develop a sociological model of sustainable halal tourism. This study employed a qualitative research design, utilizing a multi-case study approach combined with a sociological phenomenological framework based on an interpretive perspective. Purposive sampling was used to select 20 key informants, consisting of 3 tourism and sociology scholars, 3 policymakers and government executives, 3 halal tourism entrepreneurs, 3 religious and Muslim community leaders, 3 civil society representatives, and 5 Muslim tourists. Data collection instruments included semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed three key points: 1) Thailand possessed high culinary cultural capital. However, the country lacked public policy integration and localized halal certification systems. 2) Sociological success factors depended on the balanced integration of sub-components within the social system rooted in community social capital under structural functionalism. 3) The researcher developed the “SHEEP Model” as a systematic framework bridging social, economic, and cultural dimensions. The model comprises 5 core components: Social Capital, Halal Ecosystem, Economic Empowerment, Environmental Sustainability, and Participatory Governance, serving as a vital mechanism to strengthen society and distribute income to local communities sustainably. This model shifted the perspective from viewing halal as a marketing tool to a sociological mechanism embedded within community cultural ways to stabilize the structural functions of the social system. The researcher recommended that government agencies and religious organizations transition from individual establishment certifications to localized destination-based halal certifications. Local governments should found provincial-level driving committees to integrate policies and budgets together.