Community participation in transcultural heritage management: a case of immaculate conception church community, Bangkok

This research explores the current state of local community participation in the management of the transcultural heritage of the "Immaculate Conception Church Community" (ICCC) in Bangkok, Thailand. In order to understand the current situation of the ICCC, a qualitative method was used: focus group interviews with ICCC members and an online survey were conducted. The data analysis method then uses the "Heritage Management System Framework", "Stakeholder Analysis", and "Participation Ladder" to provide a clear picture of current ICCC heritage management practices. The researcher uses the concept of citizen participation to develop the principles of the proposed "Spectrum of Participation in Cultural Heritage Management," a specific model of participatory cultural heritage management aimed at motivating citizens to move from "passive" to "active" participation in ICCC's transcultural heritage management. The research results show that the citizens of the ICCC are in principle prepared to participate in the sustainable management of their heritage, but that there is a lack of initiatives, knowledge and management structures to do so. This literature opens the door to the introduction of a targeted participatory approach to cultural heritage management and provides practical recommendations for improving the current situation of the ICCC.