Trip provides Cottey students valuable insight into tourism
Editor's note: Dr. Selena Kohel, assistant professor of psychology, and Professor Karen Polon from Cottey College led an alternative spring break trip to Thailand last month. Most years, Cottey offers an alternative trip to students for those who may want to go somewhere other than Europe. Dr. Kohel, who has family in Thailand, led this two-week trip for 17 Cottey students. This is Part 2 of her story.
These days, sustainable tourism seems all abuzz, but what exactly is sustainable tourism, and how easy is it to sustain?
For the purpose of the Thailand trip, my colleague, Karen, and I introduced sustainable tourism to our students as behavior that respects -- or otherwise contributes to the health of --- the local culture, economy, and environment. In my last article, I wrote of how I think our group did pretty well in regard to respecting Thai culture. When I reflected on our trip through a larger lens of sustainability, the picture was not so clear.
Karen and I wanted to provide students with examples of unsustainable and sustainable tourism while in Thailand, but we didn't want to tell them what was what. We wanted them to deduce that for themselves, and to behave as they saw fit. So, we took them to a variety of outdoor markets and villages. For markets, we took them to Thanon Khaosan in Bangkok and the Night Bazaar, Wua Lai Walking Street, and Thapae Walking Street in Chiang Mai. I'll write more about the villages in my next article in regard to our service projects.
Thanon Khaosan is located by the Grand Palace, which is one of the most touristed places in Bangkok. "Thanon" means road and Thanon Khaosan is known as a backpacker area. Travelers are drawn to the road for the inexpensive accommodations, and tourists abound from countries outside of Thailand. Vendors sell a variety of relatively inexpensive products. Stalls line the street with clothing and other material goods. One can see T-shirts, pants, and toys similar to those found in the United States. Hill tribe women dressed in traditional clothing walk up and down the road, tickling the grooves of wooden frogs with small wooden sticks, causing the frogs to croak. Carts are scattered along the street with food atop, such as phat thai (pan-fried rice noodles seasoned with fish sauce, tamarind paste, sugar, and chives -- found in the United States), and roti (griddled flatbread prepared in butter and topped with condensed milk -- originally found in India). Other than the hill tribe women dressed in traditional clothing and some of the food, little seems authentically Thai.
The Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, Wua Lai Walking Street and Thapae Walking Street were all easily accessible from our hotel, which was located near the main gate to the old walled city (Note: Chiang Mai has expanded, and the old city was surrounded by a defensive wall and moat to protect against invasion).
The markets are frequented by tourists from countries outside of Thailand and Thais alike. The Night Bazaar was the main market, but as the Wua Lai and Thapae Walking Streets have become established, the Night Bazaar has become more oriented toward tourists from other countries, as shown by the higher prices for the same goods found at the other markets.
Like Thanon Khaosan, clothing, other material goods and food are sold. However, in addition to goods that might readily be found in the United States, these markets carry multiple Thai handicrafts, like wood carvings; shadow puppets made of buffalo hide; and tissue box covers, placemats, and pillowcases made of silk.
The Wua Lai and Thapae Walking Streets carry an even greater variety of Thai handicrafts, which include musical instruments, pocket knives, and decorative fans and umbrellas.
Initially, Karen and I had hoped our students would like Khaosan Road the least and the Wua Lai and Thapae Walking Streets the most.
As Karen and I walked down the middle of Thanon Khaosan, enjoying our roti, we came upon our tour guides. Khun Poe asked if there was something specific I was looking for on Khaosan Road.
I sensed a tinge of judgment in his voice. I said we wanted our students to have an example of unsustainable tourism. Our tour guides agreed with our assessment of the area.
We didn't stay there long enough to experience the worst of it, though. From what they told, as each night progresses, tourists in the area are known to regularly get drunk, loud, and messy.
Half-way through the trip, Khun Poe and I asked separate groups of students which market was their favorite. More than I think either of us was prepared for replied, "Thanon Khaosan."
I thought to myself, "Where did Karen and I go wrong? Was it because Khaosan Road was the first market to which we took them?
Was it because the clothing, other material goods and food were familiar and thus comfortable? Was it because of the excitement of being surrounded by people from so many different countries? Was it because it was National Thai Elephant Day and there were performers on a stage to celebrate?" Whatever the reason, their responses were not for what we had been hoping.
We also hoped our students would choose to buy culture specific, environmentally friendly goods, the purchase of which would support local economies. As our group made its way from market to market, we were able to see some of what they had bought: prints with the national animal, elephants, on them; soaps made with local ingredients, such as lemongrass and jasmine; Jeannie pants, etc. Overall, they purchased a variety of products -- some more sustainable than others.
So, do I think we failed in regard to sustainable tourism? Yes and no. Since the trip, it's become clear that sustainable tourism is more difficult than it once seemed. Even though we were in the midst of many new and wonderful experiences, sometimes our group members may have craved something familiar and comfortable. In addition to liking Thanon Khaosan better than the other markets, some in our group found themselves at Seven Eleven for potato chips and chocolate, Burger King for a burger, or Starbucks for coffee. However, we ate the majority of our meals at local establishments. Other times, group members may have made purchases based on what they liked. I knew that roti did not originate in Thailand, which didn't stop me from partaking now and again.
However, we ate a large array of Thai food, as well. We may not have liked everything we tried. Some may not have liked most of what we tried, but we tried.
From morning glory stir-fried in soybean paste to pork rinds to pomelo, we tried. And still other times, our group may just have wanted to try something that was new for most, such as riding in a tuk tuk -- a three wheeled, motorized vehicle ... with a reputation for poor emissions.