ปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อการยกระดับและพัฒนาคุณภาพการบริการของสถานประกอบการนวดไทยระดับพรีเมียมในจังหวัดอุตรดิตถ์

Jaruwan Koedphon

Authors

Jaruwan Koedphon Consumer Protection and Public Health Pharmacy Division, Uttaradit Provincial Public Health Office, Uttaradit Province

Keywords:

Premium Thai massage, Service quality, Wellness tourism, Uttaradit Province, Mixed-method research

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Premium Thai massage has the potential to promote wellness tourism in secondary cities, but there is still a lack of empirical evidence regarding mechanisms to enhance service quality. This research aimed to analyze the influences of factors such as personnel, facilities, management, and innovation on service quality and to propose prioritized development strategies for premium Thai massage establishments in Uttaradit Province.

Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design (QUAN → qual) was used. Quantitative data were collected from a sample of 609 individuals, including 45 entrepreneurs, 180 personnel, and 384 customers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression and subgroup analysis. Common method bias was checked using Harman's Single Factor Test (first component = 28.43%, below the 50% threshold). Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 key informants. Data were analyzed using content analysis, and credibility was verified according to Lincoln and Guba's (1985) criteria through triangulation and member checking.

Results: Results showed that all four factors significantly influenced service quality (p < .01) and together predict service quality at 68.40% (R² = .684). The personnel factor had the highest influence (β = .342, f² = .224), followed by management (β = .276, f² = .128), facilities (β = .198, f² = .079), and innovation (β = .156, f² = .049). The subgroup analysis confirmed the model's consistency in the entrepreneur group (R² = .621), personnel group (R² = .671), and customer group (R² = .612). Customers expressed high satisfaction (M = 4.12), with 87.50% intending to use the service again. Qualitative results confirmed that personnel and management were the main mechanisms for enhancing service quality, while retaining skilled personnel and controlling costs were significant constraints.

Conclusion and Recommendations: The quality of services should be enhanced and prioritized, starting with the development of a human resources and management standard system (3–6 months), followed by facility upgrades (6–12 months), and the gradual implementation of digital innovations in the long term. The strategy should leverage the province's potential as a transit point for 1,100,382 tourists annually, who have a lower overnight stay rate than the northern region average, to develop the identity of a wellness stopover in line with the stopover tourism concept, which indicates that secondary cities can sustainably create value by being transit points.

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