Part 2: Theoretical Frameworks and Relevant Documents
3. The impacts of religious tourism development
The impacts of religious tourism development on cultural heritage significance and value of nine sacred temples in Ang Thong will be discussed in the following pages:
1. Economic impacts
The particular importance in relation to economic impacts are considered as positive effects which are the following:
1. Contribution to local development in transportation infrastructure;
2. Generation of income and employment.
The important role of transport is to provide access between spatially separated locations for the business and household sectors. For providing access in commodity and person movements are also involved in this principle role of transport. For the business sector, this includes connections between businesses and their input sources, between businesses and other businesses, between businesses and their markets. For the household sector, it provides people with access to workplaces, religious places, education places, markets and medical facilities. In this case, the provincial administration in Ang Thong has contribution in tourism development and support infrastructure service especially in transportation system and road construction to facilitate in accessibility for the local people and tourists. The local people can receive this benefit as the contribution in transportation infrastructure makes them conveniently in travelling as well.
This contribution is also considered to positive impact to the local farmers in terms of reducing in transportation costs. Formerly, most local farmers had to take their products to sell at the market in the city center of Ang Thong. But, this contribution in transportation infrastructure especially in road construction provides access between the retailers and farmers. There are certain retailers who come to buy agricultural products at the market in temple compound. There are four local markets which are famous for selling local agricultural products and these four markets are located at four temples which are the market at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan, the market at Wat Khun Intrapramoon, the market at Wat Muang and the market at Wat Pamok Worawihan. Formerly, the road which leads to Wat Khun Inthapramoon was very poor condition in the past few years. But, when Phra Kru Wiset Chaiwat became the abbot of Wat Khun Inthapramoon in 2006 and has made Wat Khun Intrapramoon more famous to the Buddhists’ pilgrimage, the road which leads to Wat Khun Intrapramoon is repaired to be in a good condition for facilitating the local people and
tourists. According to Paradee, a villager who lives near Wat Khun Inthapramoon, the advantage of contribution to local development in transportation infrastructure is as following:
Twenty years ago, the road No. 3003 which is connected between Chaiyo District and Pho Thong District was in very poor condition especially in rainy reason. No one wanted to come to this temple in the rainy season. However, when the new abbot of Wat Khun Inthapramoon came, he has made the temple to be famous and has sat the local market in the temple compound. So, he later coordinates with the provincial administration to repair this road.
Moreover, the retailers from other places will come to buy our products at the temple and then distribute to other markets. So, this road brings more convenience to us.
(Statement from Paradee, a 56-year-old villager at Thapramoon Sub-district, 7 August, 2014)
So, in this case, the transportation infrastructure for the promotion of tourism is useful for the development of other sectors which are the famers and business sector. The another sample of the contribution to local development in transportation infrastructure is to build the Mahaphutthaphim Bridge crossing the Chao Phraya River at Chaiyo District. The Mahaphutthaphim Bridge was built in 1996 for facilitating the local people who live along the Chao Phraya River and also the people who are from the other province. This bridge facilitates the tourists who want to visit Wat Chaiyo Worawihan. Taking a look at the statement from a tourist who uses this bridge for crossing the river to visit this temple as following:
I live in Lopburi Province. Usually, I like to come to Wat Chaiyo twice a month because I respect the Buddha image at this temple. When I was young, I had to take a ferry to cross the river for reaching the temple. So, my father’s car had to park at the opposite side of the temple. Sometimes we could not leave our car alone because no one kept the eyes on our car. But, when the bridge is built and the temple provides the car park inside the temple, it is very convenient for us. (Statement from Tanasak, 14 April, 2014)
The contribution in transportation infrastructure is not taken places at only Wat Khun Intrapramoon and Wat Chaiyo Worawihan, it also takes places at Wat Pamok Worawihan, Wat Muang and Wat Mahanam. The provincial administration has repaired the main road which names Tha Rua - Tho Praya Road since 2015 for facilitating the locals and tourists who come to visit Wat Muang. This is because this road is the main road to access to Wat Muang. Pamok -
Phong Phaeng road has been constructed since 2014 for facilitating the local people of Pamok District and bringing more convenience to access to Wat Pamok Worawihan. Repairing a public thoroughfare behind Wat Mahanam in 2010 is for facilitating the local community to access Wat Mahanam.
Normally, the temples is directly gained benefits from tourism. As the number of tourists has increased continually since the past few years, the temples have received much income especially from donation and rental fees. For the rental fees, some temples such as Wat Muang and Wat Chaiyo Worawihan have allowed the locals to rent the temple’s lands for opening shops and restaurants. Consequently, this can be really helping in developing and renovating for the temples. For example, before 1982, Wat Muang used to be an abandoned temple but, when Luang Pho Kasem Ajarnsupo started to develop the temple, he received the budget from devout Buddhists’ donations. So, an ordination hall, many new assembly halls and a group of residences for monks have been built since 1983. Furthermore, some temples of the nine have been transformed much from its original state as local temples for the communities into the temples developed for religious tourism purpose. In this aspect, the occupations of the local people tend to be changed and have more various types than former ones in the past. It is very obvious that the new kinds of occupations are aimed to support the outside visitors rather than local residents. However, these new kinds of occupations are created to respond with increasing number of visitors who want to make merit during their paying homage to these nine temples.
These new kinds of occupations are (1.) Selling sacred objects and amulets (2.) Selling bunches of flower, candles and joss sticks and (3.) Selling fish and birds for releasing.
Especially, selling amulets is a kind of occupation that gains more incomes for both temples and local people. A Thai amulet is a kind of Thai Buddhist blessed item. Normally, it is used for raising funds in order to renovate the temple. Moreover, many Thai Buddhists purchase the amulets from the temple and distribute to the others who are interested in collecting those amulets. This is the emerging of new kind of occupation which is call “selling amulets”. The people who collect the amulets are believe that these amulets will enhance luck in different aspects, some people use amulets to improve wealth, health, love and people relationship.
Normally, it was a tradition to place Thai amulets under stupa or under the principle Buddha image inside the ordination hall. When the structure collapses, many amulets are found. Some can
be dated back over a century. In the past, worshippers can obtain an amulet by simply donating money or giving the offering to the temple. After the donation, Thai Buddhist monk would give amulet as a gift to the worshippers. With the change of time, amulet no longer simply means as a
“gift”, but it is a kind of product to raising funds of the Buddhist temple. Amulets are made in the form of Buddha image, image of famous monk, or even image of the monks who make the amulets themselves. Amulets have different kind of sizes, different shapes and different materials such as plaster, animal bone, wood and metal. It may include ash from joss sticks or old temple structure, hair from famous monk for adding blessing power to the amulets. The price of an amulet not only depends on its appearance, but it also depends on its scarcity, reputation of monks who make the amulets and year of made as well. Wat Chaiyo Worawihan is very famous for Phra Somdet Wat Kate Chaiyo, Thai famous amulet which is built by Somdet Phra Phutthachan (To Phromrangsi) a revered monk of Wat Rakhangkhositaram in Thonburi. Thai Buddhists believe that Phra Somdet Wat Kate Chaiyo is well known for its divine blessing power in brining good-will and amity from encountered people as well as warding off harms, all maliciousness and making people to achieve their wishes and overall good luck. That is the reason that many Thai Buddhists come to this temple for purchasing this amulet. For example, take a look at the statement from one amulet seller at Wat Chaiyo as following:
Phra Somdet Wat Kate Chaiyo of Wat Chaiyo is very famous amulet for itself and it makes this temple famous as well. Many versions of Phra Somdet Wat Kate Chaiyo have been produced by the temple and my customers always would love to buy for their collections.
Normally, my customers can buy the amulets directly from the temple. But, sometimes the temple doesn’t sell some versions of the amulets to the worshippers. The temple allows the outsider distributors to sell the amulets to the worshippers. These outsider distributors can give the money back after selling those amulets. (Statement from a 42-year-old amulet seller at Wat Chaiyo, 14 April, 2014)
Figure 60 Selling amulets at Wat Chaiyo (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)
Other types of employment emerging as the result of religious tourism development at these nine temples are toilet maids, waiters or even janitors. These types of employment are normally gain more incomes during religious events such as annual festivals for paying homage to the Buddha images of these nine sacred temples. According to Boon-Sri, a maid who is in charge of taking care of the public toilets at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan, the advantage of religious tourism during annual festival is as following:
A lot of Thai Buddhists surely contribute to positive benefits to the temple in term of more income. However, much donation mainly comes from the outsider visitors rather than the local people especially during annual festivals and special Buddhist’s days. Luckily, my wage has increased too. (Statement from Boon-Sri, 14 April, 2014)
The local economy has been changed much since some temples of the nine temples have been promoted as the tourist attractions. Some areas of the temples have been turned to be markets for selling souvenirs and agricultural products to the tourists who come to pay homage at the temples. Wat Chaiyo Worawihan used to have a morning market before. In the past, most vendors in this morning market usually made only a little amount of products to sell mostly for local buyers in the nearby neighborhood areas. But, the situation happening at present is changed
from the past. We can look at the statement from one ordinary Thai food vendor in the market of Wat Chaiyo Worawihan.
In the past when I was young, I usually helped my mother to sell Pad Thai (Thai Fried Noodle) to the local buyers in the nearby neighborhood only. We sold from 6 am. to 10 am.
in the morning only because we could not sell much of it in this quite market. At present, everything totally changes when there are many visitors coming to the market after their paying hamage to Luang Por To inside the assembly hall. It surely makes good benefits to my family.
We can get income about five thousand Baht per day on the weekdays and ten thousand Baht per day on the weekends. Nowadays, my daughter and my little nephews help me in my shop at the weekends. (Statement from Pen Sri, a 58-year-old Pad Thai vendor, 14 April, 2014)
As the result, local residents have received to benefits from religious tourism, either through direct involvement in tourism in restaurants and service jobs as mentioned above, as well as through the sale of products which are related with religious tourism and food production to feed tourists. Furthermore, contribution to local development in transportation infrastructure is another benefit that the local residents and tourists receive from this contribution.
However, religious tourism at these nine temples also provides the negative impacts to the local as well. The particular problems in relation to economic impacts which are the following:
1. Nequality of income generating;
2. Seasonal character of jobs.
Inequality in income-generating is sometimes called wealth inequality, or the wealth gap. Moreover, inequality in income-generating can lead to monopolization of the labor force. This means it results in fewer employers requiring fewer workers. In the case of nine temples in Ang Thong, income generating from religious tourism is not equally available to the locals as the locals who have the close relationship with the temples will only get the benefits. We can look at the statement from a 35-year-old vendor of Thai desserts at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan as following:
Normally, the people who have their rights to sell the amulets and to sell bunches of flower, candles and joss sticks at this temple must have the close relationship with the abbot or the monks who live at this temple. If you don’t know any monks at this temple, you have to pay
the high rental fees per day and the temple allows to sell only food production and agricultural products. The people who have the close relationship with the abbot and the monks can sell without paying rental fees. But, they have to pay the commission to the temple later. (Statement from a 48-year-old vendor of Thai desserts at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan, 14 April, 2014)
This inequality in income-generating is also happened at Wat Muang, Wat Ton Son and Wat Si Roi. This problem causes the negative impact of the little career opportunity as the opportunity in career is only available to the groups of people who have relationships with the temple. Furthermore, seasonal character of jobs is the other problem that happens in the situation of promoting religious tourism at these nine temples. Seasonal character of jobs means the tourism industry creates economic problems for destinations that are heavily dependent on it. The economic problems that are involved with seasonal character of jobs are job insecurity which means the job is usually with no guarantee of employment from one season to the next. The difficulties in getting training, employment-related medical benefits, and recognition of their experience, and unsatisfactory housing and working conditions are also included in the seasonal character of jobs. Even though these nine sacred temples can be visited all year around, most tourists like to visit the temples when there are some significant annual festivals for paying homage to the Buddha images. As mention earlier, there are five significant annual festivals for paying homage to the Buddha images of five sacred temples (five of the nine) in Ang Thong.
These annual festive can be summarized as following:
1. Paying homage to Somdet Phra Sri Mueangthong festival at Wat Tonson in March;
2. Song Kran festival and paying homage to the reclining Buddha image festival at Wat Khun Inthapramoon in April;
3. Paying homage to Luang Por Maha Phuttha Phim festival at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan in October;
4. Paying homage to the reclining Buddha image and Buudha’s footprint festival at Wat Pamok Worawihan in October;
5. Loy Krathong festival and paying homage to Luang Por To festival at Wat Siroi in November.
The types of employment which are the result of promoting religious tourism at these nine temples which are toilet maids, waiters or janitors always receive the benefits only when the temples have the significant annual festivals. The statement from Boon-Sri, a maid who is in charge of cleaning the public toilets at Wat Chaiyo Worawihan can be described the problem of seasonal character of jobs as following:
As I mentioned that much donation mostly comes from the tourists who come from the other provinces rather than the local people especially during annual festival and special Buddhist’s days. Usually, I receive the high wage at that time. When the annual festival is ended, I work for anything that the people would hire me to do such as mowing grass and washing dishes at the restaurant. (Statement from Boon-Sri, 14 April, 2014)
Although the provincial administration in Ang Thong promotes the religious tourism to the public but, just a few groups of people can receive the benefit of promoting religious tourism in the province. Ang Thong is still not the main tourism destination in the central part of Thailand. Until nowadays, Ang Thong is known as an agriculture province and the main income is from the agriculture products.
2. Socio-cultural impacts
This concerns with positive impacts on promoting the local culture of the host population in which culture can be used and even packaged to promote to the tourists. Cultural attractions of Ang Thong which are in relation to religious tourism include the following:
1. Handicrafts;
2. Local folkdance;
3. Local history of the area
Of particular importance, in relation to socio-cultural impacts of religious tourism, is the nature of both visitors and host populations. The interaction of these two groups will be a major issue in affecting the types of positive impact. As Ang Thong province is an agriculture province and the main income are from the agriculture product so there are lots of OTOP (One Tambon One Product) products which made from/by agriculture products. One popular example of OTOP products in Ang Thong is Court Doll at Ban Bangsadet. Ban Bangsadet Court Doll Center is located inside Wat Tha Sutthawat, Pamok district. The establishment of Ban Bang Sadet Court Doll Project was initiated by Her Majesty the Queen in 1976. Its main purpose is to help
the villagers earn supplementary income for farmers and low income earners after the end of their harvest season. For the daily activity of the Court Doll Center, some project members will demonstrate court doll making and teach how to make the Court Dolls to the tourists who visit Wat Tha Sutthawat and are interested in visiting this Court Doll center. The Court Doll products on sale are available at the Court Doll Center as well. Court dolls are the local handicraft which are the clay invention displaying Thai-style course of life and culture, for example, Thai childrens’ recreation, Thai orchestra or various types of Thai fruits. They are appropriate as souvenirs.
Pamok district is not famous only the Court Doll Center at Wat Tha Sutthawat and the beautiful Reclining Buddha image at Wat Pamok Worawihan, the drum-making village is also famous for domestic tourists to visit after visiting Wat Pamok Wotawihan and Wat Tha Sutthawat. The drum-making village at Pamok district is located in Ekkarat sub-district on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. This village is renowned for their production of drums. This traditional drums began in 1927 and continues to present. Typically, when the agricultural harvest season ends, local farmers at this village turn from growingcrops to drum production, and as result, many shops on both sides of the main road of this village have opened as selling drums and demonstrating the drums to the tourists. Locals use cowhide and rain tree wood, due to the softness of the wood for producing drum. At the drum-making village, tourists can observe the production process which beginning with lathing the wood, treating the sheets of cowhide and the way to embedding the pins. Mostly tourists buy drums from this village as souvenirs. Moreover, the largest drum in the world (3.7 meters long) can be seen in front of the village chief’s home.
This drum was built in 1994 and took one year to complete.
Figure 61 Drumming village (Panot Asawachai, 2014.)