www.tjprc.org SCOPUS Indexed Journal editor@tjprc.org COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICIPATION OF AGEING VILLAGERS IN BAN NA TON CHAN, THAILAND PAKIN WITCHAYAKAWIN 1 & WASAN TENGKUAN 2 1 Lecturer, Department of Tourism Business Management, International College, Naresuan University Phitsanulok, Thailand 2 Lecturer, Department of English for Business Communication, International College, Naresuan University Phitsanulok, Thailand ABSTRACT This qualitative research aims 1) to study the community-based tourism development in Ban Na Ton Chan, Thailand, 2) to study the participation of ageing villagers in community-based tourism development and 3) to suggest a guideline of community-based tourism development in Ban Na Ton Chang and other communities. The interview forms as research tools used to collect primary data from July to October 2017. Data were collected by observation, in-depth interview, small group discussion and focus group discussion. The findings found that community-based tourism in Ban Na Ton Chan was developed bythe leadership of leaders who contributed to the community by raising local wisdom as well as raising awareness of local uniqueness to all villagers. The participation of ageing villagers by voluntary to present local wisdom that resulted in effective benefits. The suggestions from this study influence of the sustainable community-based tourism. KEYWORDS: Community-Based Tourism Development, Participation, Ageing Villagers, Ban Na Ton Chan & Thailand Received: May 05, 2018; Accepted: May 26, 2018; Published: Jun 13, 2018; Paper Id: IJMPERDJUN2018102 INTRODUCTION “Community-Based Tourism (CBT)” as economically, environmentally, socially, and culturally responsible visitation to indigenous communities. Locals enjoy and appreciate their cultural and natural heritage, whose tourism resources, products, and services are developed and managed with their active participation, and whose benefits from tourism, tangible or otherwise, are collectively enjoyed by the communities. Community-Based Tourism (CBT) defined as tourism, which is managed by community members to present the uniqueness of each community that aims to sustain being (Boonratana, 2010). The statement of the problems of Tourism Community-Based Tourism in ASEAN includes some countries showed CBET as future, limited knowledge in CBET, lacked investment, lacked awareness of environmental concerns, infrastructure development, got negative impacts such as environmental pollution and degradation, and needed involvement and developed the concept of CBT (Habito-Javier, 2012). The development of community-based tourism plan Bannatochen, Si Satchanalai district, Sukhothai Province found the challenges that resulted in unsustainable management of Ban Na Ton Chan community-based tourism involving dependence on number of tourists, excessive reliance on the only local tour guide, lack tourism plan, repetitive tourist activities, lack communicative English language ability, intra-community conflicts, and attraction sites being located in forest reserved area (Namwong, 2015). Ban Na Ton Chan has succeeded in Original Article International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD) ISSN (P): 2249-6890; ISSN (E): 2249-8001 Vol. 8, Issue 3, Jun 2018, 969-976 © TJPRC Pvt. Ltd