Development of Thai Tourism Volunteer Organizations for Sustainability in the Tourism Industry: Current Situation and Development Guidelines

Abstract

This research aims to 1) study and analyze the situation of volunteer work related to the tourism industry in Thailand., and 2) propose guidelines for the development of Thai tourism volunteer organizations for sustainability for the tourism industry. The research employs qualitative methods, with samples from four provinces: Chiang Rai, Krabi, Satun, and Samut Prakan. Quota sampling was used to select 82 samples from agencies and organizations involved in tourism volunteer activities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions and analyzed using content analysis.
The study found that the situation of tourism volunteer work varies widely, with volunteer organizations established under the support of government, private, or local agencies. In Thailand, although there is a lack of concrete tourism volunteer organizations, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports issued the Tourism and Sports Volunteer Regulation B.E. 2565. However, clear and tangible implementation is still lacking. Nevertheless, interviews revealed that tourism volunteer work has garnered significant interest from all sectors.
For the development of Thai tourism volunteer organizations for sustainability to become concrete, this study suggests that at the policy level, coordination centers should be established in tourist areas, the status of Thai tourism volunteers should be officially recognized, and tourism industry operators should be encouraged to support their employees in becoming volunteers. Operationally, efforts should focus on improving the efficiency of working mechanisms.