Research News

The Center for Academic Services, led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Amonsak Sawusdee, Director of the Center and Head of the Project, along with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laksanara Khwanchum, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onanong Cheablam from the School of Management, Chairperson of the Business Network for Community and Society, and the working group from the Fisherfolk Network of Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces, conducted a field activity under the project “Low Carbon Journey Samui” to promote sustainable and low-carbon tourism. The event was held at the Ban Tai Blue Swimming Crab Bank, Maenam Subdistrict, Koh Samui District, Surat Thani Province.

The training aimed to enhance knowledge on sustainable tourism management and to promote low carbon tourism practices among local tourism operators, community-based tourism groups, and relevant agencies. The initiative is a step toward the development of sustainable tourism and low-carbon communities. The participants also explored three pilot destinations along the “Low Carbon Journey Samui” route:

     1. Blue Crab Bank

     2. Honey Rose Herb Garden

     3. Samui Caravans, Suan Nai Daeng

The project focuses on utilizing the Blue Swimming Crab Bank as a key tool for integrated coastal and marine resource management. It emphasizes building cooperation across multiple sectors to drive tangible sustainability outcomes. This initiative is part of the Blue Swimming Crab Bank Project: An Integrated Coastal Resource Management Tool for Sustainable Utilization, funded by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) for the fiscal year 2024.

This project is a continuation of efforts to leverage the crab bank model as a solution for improving marine and coastal resource management. It supports the goals of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by promoting sustainable consumption, SDG 14 (Life Below Water) through marine biodiversity restoration, and aims to improve local livelihoods under the blue economy framework while fostering low-carbon societies in coastal areas.