Tourists' a wareness and willingness to pay for conservation of natural resources : a case study of khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet National Park in Rayong, Thailand | |
| Author | May Myat Noe |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.NR-25-05 |
| Subject(s) | Willingness to pay National parks and reserves--Thailand Environmental economics Tourism--Thailand--Economic aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in patial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Natural Resources Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Understanding the economic value of natural resources is essential for the sustainable management of national parks. Previous studies have primarily focused on single conservation objective or resource, neglecting multi-resources within the same ecosystem. Additionally, no studies specific to Thailand’s national parks in this context were previously conducted. This study examined tourists’ awareness, economic valuation and influencing factors for four natural resources: crab-eating macaques, coral reefs, dry evergreen forests, and clean air, within Khao Laem Ya-Mu Ko Samet (KLYMKS) National Park, Thailand. Data were collected through structured surveys of 205 tourists, employing Likert-scale measures and contingent valuation method (CVM). Descriptive statistics and statistical analyses including OLR and SUR regressions were performed. The findings indicate that awareness varies across resources, with dry evergreen forests and clean air having the highest recognition, while coral reefs and macaques exhibited moderate to low awareness. Socio-demographic factors like age, education, employment status, and nationality, significantly influenced awareness levels. Dry evergreen forests had the highest mean WTP (THB 129/year), followed by coral reefs (THB 125), clean air (THB 110), and macaques (THB 107). Aggregate WTP estimates ranged from THB 85.7 million for macaques to THB 103.2 million for dry evergreen forests. Demand curves indicated an inverse relationship between WTP and the number of respondents willing to pay. Age and awareness levels reported consistent determinants across all resources, while other factors varied by resource. This study provides actionable insights for developing sustainable conservation strategies and policies to ensure sustainable natural resource conservation in KLYMS National Park. Targeted educational initiatives to enhance awareness, particularly for lesser-recognized resources, and aggregate values for each resource should be used for fundraising efforts through government support, private donors, and international organizations. |
| Year | 2025 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Department | Department of Development and Sustainability (DDS) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Natural Resources Management (NRM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Sasaki, Nophea |
| Examination Committee(s) | Tsusaka, Takuji W.;Pramanik, Malay |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (DAAD), Germany |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2025 |