Changes at Wat Thai Samakkhi in Mae Kasa Sub-District Mae Sot District, Tak Province to Accommodate Religious Tourism

Abstract

This research aimed to collect historical background and information on Wat Thai Samakki at Mae Kasa Sub-district, Mae Sot District, Tak Province and to study changes made to the temple in order to accommodate religious tourism. The data was collected from secondary sources, indepth interviews conducted during a field trip and non-participant observations, employing creative folklore as a frame of study.

The results revealed that Wat Thai Samakkhi was built in 1943. At that time, there was only a main hall (Phra Ubosot) and a meeting hall Phra Viharn) for performing rituals and ceremonies. It was not until 2010 that the temple became well-known and was visited by an increasing number of tourists. Since then, several changes have been made to the temple, including the construction of Buddha images, statues and buildings. The research found that folk culture was directly applied to accommodate people’s need for religious trips; for example, the reproduction of traditional beliefs through symbols and material objects and the attempts to preserve cultures, blend the old and new and create new traditions in organizing a wide range of activities for tourists throughout the year.