A Case study of Push and Pull Factors Influencing Thai Tourists' Purchase Behavior of Street Food: Case Study of Hua Hin Night Market, Prachuap Khirikhan Province

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Nattharida Mongkonkeeree
Charoenchai Agmapisarn

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to focus on the effects of push and pull factors on Thai tourists' purchase behavior of street foods in Hua Hin night market. This research aims to find ways to develop the street food services in Hua Hin, as one of the most famous street food destinations in Thailand. This study is based on 270 Thai tourists, who visited the Hua Hin night market. Using a simple random sampling technique, this questionnaire survey-based study applied the second order confirmatory factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of this study found that the pull factors influencing the consumer behavior of Hua Hin street food included the sensory attributes and the image of food factors. The push factors including the escape from daily routine and interest in food had no influence on Thai tourists’ consumer behavior.

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Research Articles
Author Biographies

Nattharida Mongkonkeeree, Graduate School of Tourism Management (GSTM)National Institute of Development Administration

Graduate student, Graduate School of Tourism Management, National Institute of Development Administration

Charoenchai Agmapisarn, Graduate School of Tourism Management (GSTM)National Institute of Development Administration

Assistant Prof. Dr. Agmapisarn completed his degrees through the School of Development Economics at National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) followed by Department of Applied Economics; Department of Economics at University of Minnesota at Twin Cities; and Department of Career Science at Kasetsart University in Tourism (with a second-class honors). In 2009 his Ph.D. paper was awarded the best graduate-level paper from Bank of Thailand. He also obtained a post graduate certificate in International Hospitality Operations (with Distinction) from the Les Roches International School of Hotel Management, Bluche, Switzerland under a NIDA scholarship. He has 16 years experience lecturing in microeconomics, labor economics, and tourism economics.

Since December 2014, he has served as a consultant and provided practical on-site trainings at various companies in Thailand, such as EAT ME: one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants, Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), and Thai Airways International (THAI). His focus includes areas such as service leadership, consistency in service excellency, service entrepreneurship, and personality development for work competencies and performances.

One of his most rewarding programs was the “Service Leadership” program that he conducted for 600 inflight managers and pursers for Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) during the period of December 2014 to August 2015. He has published several articles related to the service industry in the Thammasat Reviews and ABAC journal, and was also invited to be a journal peer reviewer for Cornell Hospitality Quarterly—the oldest hospitality journal in the world—where he reviewed papers discussing service management.