Buddhist economics meets agritourism on the Thai farm
International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
ISSN: 1750-6182
Article publication date: 1 June 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that both leisure and sustainability objectives can be achieved via Buddhist economics informed agritourism. Buddhist economics differs significantly from mainstream (neoclassical) economics in its ontological underpinning. This means that assumptions about human nature are different: the core values of mainstream economics are self-interest and competition in the pursuit of maximum welfare or utility; while in Buddhist economics, “self” includes oneself, society and nature, which are all simultaneously interconnected. The core values of Buddhist economics are compassion and collaboration through which well-being is achieved, leading to higher wisdom (pañña). Because of this, the interconnectedness of activities and relationships, even those not initially obviously so linked, is crucial.
Design/methodology/approach
The theoretical argument is illustrated by a pilot study of an agritourism, package tour to visit the properties of Thai farmers involved with a project known as “running a one rai farm to gain a one hundred thousand baht return”. The research is exploratory in character.
Findings
A result of this study is to reveal agritourism as a significant market channel to promote sustainable agriculture.
Originality/value
Agritourism can be considered an instrument for rural development with its contribution to positive economic impacts, providing economic opportunities to sustain financial security for the farming family, maintaining viability of the agricultural sector and local communities and creating jobs for rural residents together with sustainable agriculture.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
An earlier version of this paper was presented at the IFAMA’s 24th Annual World Symposium panel on “Buddhist Economics Meets Agritourism: A Pilot Study on Running a One Rai Farm to Gain a One Hundred Thousand Baht Return,”, on 16-17 June 2014.
The authors are grateful to all the farmers and participants who played a part in the pilot study reported here; this pilot is just one part of the first author’s study of Capability and Pride for Thai Farmers Engaged in the “one rai to gain one hundred thousand baht project”. Grateful thanks are extended to the BAAC for its partial funding of this paper via the NGO sector.
The authors also wish to thank the referees and editor for their helpful comments.
Citation
Prayukvong, W., Huttasin, N. and Foster, M.J. (2015), "Buddhist economics meets agritourism on the Thai farm", International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 183-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-08-2014-0065
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited