The slow tourism infrastructures in Lamphun old town, Thailand

This paper aims to specify the problems of slow tourism infrastructuresin Lamphun old town and to recommend slow tourism infrastructure developmentthrough qualitative and quantitative research methods. The qualitative researchmethod was conducted by site survey and observation in the study area. Thequantitative research method was conducted through the use of questionnairedistributed to local people group, foreign visitors group, and the civic action groupsof Lamphun old town.The results were categorized into three types of tourism infrastructurewhich were 1) Environmental 2) Social and 3) Transport. The perceived problems ofenvironmental slow tourism infrastructures in the old town were 1) lack of goodlandscape and design on the Kuang River and the city moat. Social problems of slowtourism infrastructure in the old town were 1) Lack of public relation on other localtourist attractions, 2) Lack of night activities, 3) Lack of local accommodation services.The transport problems of slow tourism infrastructure in the old town were 1)unconnected, narrow, bad pavement of footpath, and the lack of facilities for walking,2) Lack of facilities for bicycle, 3) Public transport providers (tricycle taxi) unable tounderstand foreign languages.The recommendation strategies to implement slow tourisminfrastructures in Lamphun old town were categorized into three objectives whichwere 1) To create quality natural environment and engagement of riverfront throughthe development of slow environment infrastructures, 2) To strengthen the localcultural assets through the development of social slow tourism infrastructures, 3) Toprovide safe and better mobility for slow transport tourism infrastructures. The slowinfrastructure recommendation strategy for objective 1 on the slow environmentalinfrastructure was 1) Improve the area of the Kuang River and city moat to be moreattractive through management and design of the landscape. The slow infrastructurerecommendation strategies for objective 2 on the slow social infrastructures were 1)Improve the public relations on the other not well known tourist attractions throughinternet search engines and social media, 2) Provide more tourist attractions oractivities that allow tourists to get involved with local people, 3) Create a package oflocal activities that continues for several days, 4) Provide more night activities, 5)Utilize abandoned open space to generate activities. The slow infrastructurerecommendation strategies for objective 3 on the slow transport infrastructures were1) Encourage walking tourism travel through the improvement of footpathconnection, Improve footpath pavements and provided safety and facilities forwalking, 2) Encourage travel tourism by using bicycles through the provision of abicycle route, provide bicycle facilities, proper and safe bicycle parking and lanes,arranging bicycle rental shops in Lamphun old town, 3) Encourage more use of publictransportation by using a tricycle taxi and provide knowledge of foreign languages forthe tricycle taxi drivers, 4) Limit the vehicles speed in Lamphun old town, 5) Proposea new direction route of one-way traffic in order to support the slow transportinfrastructures.