ABSTRACT

The objectives of this research are: 1) to study the people’s opinions on the monastery development for Buddhists tourism in Samutsakhon Province, 2) to compare the people’s opinions on the monastery development for Buddhist tourism in Samutsakhon Province, classified by personal factors, and 3) to study the problems and suggestions of the monastery development for Buddhist tourism in Samutsakhon Province. The research methodology is the survey research. The samples used in this study were 400 o peoples who visited as tourists to the monastery in Samutsakhon Province. The tool used in data collection was questionnaires which divided into three parts: 1) general questions concerning to the people who answered the questions, 2) the people’s views on the monastery development for Buddhist tourism, and 3) the questions of the problems and suggestions of the peoples to the monastery development for Buddhist tourism, and the data analysis was computed by using statistical techniques such as the frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, T-test, and F-test which analysis ANOVA (One way analysis of variance), and the Least Significant Difference (LSD).

The findings of this research are as follows:

1. The people’s opinions on the monastery development for Buddhist tourism in Samutsakhon Province, in overall at a high level. When considered by each aspect, namely; the monastery activities development, religious places development, monastery personnel’s development, and environmental development. They are found high levels in every aspect.

2. Comparison of the people’s opinion on the monastery development for Buddhist tourism in Samutsakhon Province, classified by personal factors, in overall, the peoples visiting the monastery who have sex and time of visit are not different, thus reject the hypothesis. But, the peoples have age, education, occupation and income, are found significantly different at 0.01 according to the hypothesis.

 3. Most of the people complain to the monastery development for Buddhist tourism are: cleanness, a few plants, cleaning staffs, impolite dressing staffs, monastery activities advertisement and none-holiday activities running, etc. Therefore, the peoples cannot come to join activities at the monastery.

The suggestions toward the monastery development for Buddhist tourism are: there should be arranged the cleaners, service-minded staffs as well as the well-dressed in every temple. As for religious development, the construction should be focused on usefulness. The structural planning such as tree growing should be in advance. Any activities of religious affairs should be organized on weekend and holiday. Thus make the people come to visit the temple feel easy and knowledgeable, fully relaxed to the full extent of the Buddhist Tourism.