Participation of Local Stakeholders at Ban Chiang World Heritage Site

Despite being inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, Ban Chiang Archaeological Site in Thailand remains largely unvisited by tourists and has not benefited significantly from tourism-generated income. A study using GIS spatial analysis and the Resident Empowerment through Tourism Scale (RETS) questionnaire found that while local residents express pride in Ban Chiang's status and strong support for tourism, they lack political participation and tourism skills, which hinder further development. The research also highlights the limitations of restrictive laws and tourism-based economic strategies in safeguarding the site from looting and fostering sustainable heritage development.

Gozzoli, P. C., & Gozzoli, R. B. (2022). Participation of Local Stakeholders at Ban Chiang World Heritage Site. Tourism Culture & Communication, 22(1), 59–83. https://doi.org/10.3727/109830421x16389456056298