Cultural Landscape of Palian Basin in Trang Province: Learning Space by Community Participation

Abstract

The objective of this qualitative research was to investigate basic information of Palian Basin Cultural Landscape, to analyze elements of this cultural landscape in order to arrange learning space by community participation in the communities on Palian Basin of three districts in Trang Province —Ban Wang Won in Kan Tang District, Ban Thung Kabue and Ban Thung Khai in Yan Ta Khao District, and Ban Na in Palian District. The results revealed that there have been a variety of natural resources around Palian Basin such as Nipa palms, mangrove forests, clams or locally called “Hoi Pa”, oysters, and fishes, as well as a variety of cultures and local wisdom, for example, making tobacco leaves, wicker baskets from Nipa palm leaves and stalks, and local fishing boat yards, focused on sustainable conservation. In terms of physical elements, the settlements of the communities on the basin were from the belief of living together with multi-cultures of Thai Buddhists, Thai Muslims, and Thai-Chinese races on the basin that is another identity of the community history, which can be a good example for a learning center potentially based on cultures, local wisdom and natural resources. Besides, awareness of sustainable conservation has been raised to have people learning in the communities, and they can also learn to adjust and understand the communities’ ways of life and cultures.  Based on the community participation, the main goal was to retain the resources to be security for economy, cultures, and local wisdom. Then the development of the communities’ strength and local people’s better life quality could be happened for sustainable utilization of resources.