Model of Driving Roi Et Province to Be a Center of Creative Buddhist Tourism Through Community Participation Model of Driving Roi Et Province to Be a Center of Creative Buddhist Tourism Through Community Participation

Abstract

Roi Et Province and the Tourism authority of Thailand, organized the Roi Et Bun Pha Wet Festival, aim of stimulating the province’s economy through tourism. Products such as Saket silk and jasmine rice were sold at the event to tourists. The researcher therefore extended this aspect by promoting career creation for occupational groups at the Bun Pha Wet Festival. This research article has the following objectives: 1) To study the promotion of creative tourism in Roi Et Province through community participation, 2) To study the model for raising income from creative tourism by community innovator groups in Nai Mueang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Roi Et Province. This research was participatory research. The research area was Mueang District, Roi Et Province. The key informants were 35 people. The research instruments were interview forms and group discussion notes. The content analysis method was used.

         The research results found that the Roi Et Bun Pha Wet Festival is a new dimension or creation of the Bun Pha Wet Festival with goals and forms of tradition that are considered innovations in terms of traditions, namely, the fundraising model or the use of money from merit-making by Buddhists and tourists to develop the province. Therefore, the Roi Et Bun Pha Wet Festival is one of the indicators of the success of Roi Et Province’s development each year. This festival is mainly hosted by civil servants. Innovative cultural activities at the merit-making festival include the Pha Wet procession, the light and sound show about the Vessantara Jataka, etc. The activities in this research are to promote vocational training for community occupation groups, such as basket weaving, lunch box weaving, and to promote the sale of products at the Pha Wet festival to participants. Therefore, the results of this research are to promote the grassroots economy and local identity in a tangible way by using the Pha Wet festival in Roi Et Province.