Knowledge Management and Creating Added Value of Folk Pottery Product Design in Nakhon Si Thammarat for OTOP Products

Abstract

This research aims to: 1) develop and expand the knowledge base for the development of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s traditional pottery into “One Tambon One Product (OTOP)” for the targeted community group; 2) establish a knowledge management system and create additional value through the design of traditional pottery products from Nakhon Si Thammarat for OTOP products, and 3) propose guidelines for promoting and transferring technology of such products in order to create value and improve product quality towards registration as a community product. The experiment was conducted with a sample group of: 1) a group of local pottery producers from east and west of Sala Bang Pu community, located in Pak Phun, Mueang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, consist of 10 participants each, and Ban Pak Phun Community, Pak Phun, Mueang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, with 20 participants. These groups consist of traditional pottery producers who have been engaged in pottery production for sale as a livelihood in specified areas for at least five years, and who currently continue to produce as their primary occupation; 2) distributors and consumers, consisting of 10 shops along Bang Pu - Tha Sala road in Mueang, Nakhon  Si Thammarat, who sell and purchase traditional pottery products in this area, and 3) five experts who have knowledge, abilities, or academics related to traditional pottery. The results found that: 1) 40 traditional pottery producers in Nakhon Si Thammarat provided baseline data for community-based pottery production in the province, with the aim of progressing towards OTOP status; 2) seven community pottery distributors In Nakhon Si Thammarat provided baseline data for community-based pottery distributors in Nakhon Si Thammarat to support tourism in the southern region; 3) the quality level of pottery management and production system in Nakhon Si Thammarat was verified by five government agencies in Nakhon Si Thammarat, preparing for registration as a community product; 4) 80 percent of the 50 target group members participated in the project’s activities. The missing percentage is due to the group having fewer pottery producers, and several members traveling to work outside the area during the project activities; 5) the level of satisfaction among participants in sub-activity 1, which involved knowledge management and value creation through the design of traditional potteries in Nakhon Si Thammarat, under the Research for Community project, was extremely high, with 100 percent of participants indicating the highest level of satisfaction (= 5.00, SD. = 0.00); 6) out of 10 pottery producers, seven registered their community products, representing 70 percent; 7) the increase in OTOP products for producers participating in the project was 100%, with all four participating communities entering the registration process for OTOP status , and 8) the added value from selling products, resulting from participation in the project, increased by more than 29.50 percent. This increase is based on comparing sales of the four communities before and after engaging in the project activities, and products were produced according to the patterns of those who had participated in the activities.