Abstract

This mixed-methods investigation aims to help conserve the traditional knowledge of Lao people in Thailand by studying the management process of cultural inheritance and working with the community to develop guidelines for community participation to ensure the sustainability of traditional knowledge management. Data was gathered from documentary review and in-depth interviews with a diverse group of individuals from the target community in Han Sai Sub-District, Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province. These included cultural scholars, community leaders, village headmen, local government officials, civil servants, former teachers, seniors, actors, and youth in the community. The results reveal that the Lao ethnic community has maintained traditional knowledge and culture despite (and partly thanks to) the challenges of modernization and assimilation. This preservation was attributed to community participation in the management and transmission of organic, living traditional knowledge, which serves as a means of cultural identity and contributes to the sustainable development of the community.