Cultural tourism management: A case study of the Chao Mae Tomo festival, Su-ngai Kolok town, Narathiwat province

Abstract

     The objectives of this study were to explore the history of the Chao Mae Tomo Festival and to investigate cultural tourism management through a case study of the celebrations of Chao Mae Tomo. Data for this qualitative study were collected from related documents, the field, observations, and in-depth interviews with 25 informants consisting of organizing committee members, participants from the community, and tourists. Descriptive data analysis was performed. The study found that the celebrations of Chao Mae Tomo originated from the people’s faithfulness to Chao Mae’s miracle power that occurred at the Tomo Gold Mine before World War II. Since then, traditional celebrations have been held annually for 63 consecutive years even though Sungai Kolok has been affected by unrest. This reflects the efficiency of the management system. The study on the management found that the planning of the celebration emphasizes safety and proactive advertising to Malaysian tourists. Many types of activities are planned. Different ethnic groups of Chinese consisting of Hakka, Teochew, Hokkien, and Hainan take turns to manage the celebrations. The present management team is Teochew. Responsibilities are assigned to each section with a head who recruits his own staff members; some are hired while others are volunteers. In directing his team, the head avoids personal judgments but uses persuasion rather than threatening or blaming team members. The head does not use power but always refers to Chao Mae’s power. For coordination, the focus is placed on the surrounding communities and on the government and private organizations, especially for security. In addition, participants in the celebrations who are from different religions and nations contribute diversity to the Chao Mae Tomo celebrations that helps to stimulate the economy and unity in society.