Attitude Toward Development of Healthy Marketplaces: Chiang Yuen Sub-district Municipality, Maha-sarakham Province

Abstract

A quasi-experimental study on the attitude towards the development of healthy
marketplace was conducted at Chiang Yuen municipality, Mahasarakham, Province,
Thailand. Eighty kiosk owners and assistants participated in the project while being
examined by using structured interview assessing their attitude towards a healthy
market. The program consisted out of 3 activities, which are a healthy market
workshop, promoting the ideas of a healthy market and setting up of a seller
association. Data were analyzed by using common descriptive statistics such as
percentage, average, standard deviation and a dependent T-test. The overall attitude
before the healthy marketplace development was indifferent for 98.75% of all
participants. However the overall attitude towards the project changed to be
highly in favor for 97.50% of the sellers after the project had initiated. The
awareness for a healthy market development became even higher than the
awareness to follow the regulations stipulated by the law. The environmental
health test revealed that sellers did not feel the need for daily kiosk cleaning
(4.30±1.08). Participants learned more about consumer protection. They agreed
that customers are entitled to have sufficient information on the goods purchased.
Food safety test suggests that the participants realized that food contamination can
occur at any place and anytime. It is concluded that the healthy marketplace
development is a key to improve the attitude among sellers to a high hygienic
standard. The collective effort of all the parties involved is the driving force
towards sustainable healthy market development.