“Bang Kachao ”

One highlight event of the greatest conference of the year, Sustainable Brand 2016, is the visit at “Bang Kachao ” Community, which would be used as a case study and question for marketers and brand builders to find out other development methods to drive the Bang Kachao Community, one community holding the strongest management system and group formation by each village, to meet its sustainable and secure dimension.

11 October 2016 is D-day of the seminar attendants to be welcomed by members and leaders of the Bang Kachao Community who have made this community strong in many facets. Mon Community has settled in Thailand over a century; it has held the marvelous background, language, and invaluable culture. This community is also the center of Mon generations, where modernity cannot fade out their long-lasting culture.

Aunt Suwanna Maklun one of the committee members and Secretary of Mon Paklad, and one of cultural activists greatly trying to retain the Mon life in the community.

“Normally, every village has arranged various traditions on festivals throughout the year. However, our young generations have not felt any participation. Many have left home, and no longer felt that they are the community members, but, in fact, our Mon community possesses much valuable culture” Aunt Suwanna said and added that the village committee mutually agreed that we should coordinate and work together to arrange religious and traditional rites harmoniously and powerfully.

“We mutually set up Mon Paklad Club involving over 500 members. Each member has descendants. Everyone works here by aiming at our great traditions. We persuade our young generations to participate in these activities. These young generations feel joyful when looking at our arrangement. They want to take part in it, share ideas and arrange it with us. The budget is not the big one because each village can mobilize much money. The harmonious image of Mon Paklad Community can be seen via many religious and traditional rites in each year, especially in Songkran Fesvital.”

Aunt Suwanna said that the creation of cultural identity for Mon community was her work goal, which should be succeeded for the community sustainable future. The young generations working in this project would obtain both opportunity and area for their creative ideas while the old generations have duties of supporting the young generations, and transfer their cultural and traditional knowledge.

“If asking me about the future, our community opens for new generations more. We observe them with pride while these young people feel proud of their Mon race. At present, our young people have no longer celebrated the Songkran Festival at Kao Sarn Road, but at Phra Pradaeng, at Bang Kachao . Our new generations who have previously left home return home to preserve our culture. This is the best for us.”

Except such outstanding traditions, Bang Kachao Community has been widely recognized as “Lungs of Bangkok”. The green area covering over 100 Rai occurs due to the inspiration of Manus Rassithat, President of Bang Nam Pueng Tambon Administrative Organization, Director of Nakhon Khuean Khan Green Area and Eco-Management Center of the Royal Forest Department. Over two decades of his struggle to recall the damaged forest area used for the monoculture, SorJor. (Member of the Provincial Council) Manus said that his work has been driven by his “spirit”. Despite some obstacles, the great success of making the green area covering 100 Rai for Bang Kachao is a proof of “making merit” by community people who loved Bang Kachao like him.

“For 20 years ago, wherever the trees were cut, I went there to plant. I grew the perennial plant to return the green areas belonged to the Royal Forest Department. The local people formed the group to care for trees. We realize that, at this moment, environment is the big issue and it will be the national agenda. Environmental care is the struggle for breath for Bang Kachao Community by making it the lungs of Bangkok, the area for future.”

The sharp decrease of forest area for 32% in Bang Kachao is the work goal to be overcome, but SorJor. Manus insisted that as long as he was still alive, he was determined to take care of this Bang Kachao forest area in his life.

Apart from the forest area, Bang Kachao Community is also the site of firefly conservation. Khun Sukij Plubjang, one of civil society activists of Bang Krasob Lumpu (Sonneratia caseolaris) Conservation Group talked about the start of investigating for the disappearance of fireflies for years at Bang Kachao before forming the group to renovate the area by removing the mountain of garbage polluting the water and hindering this kind of bug to lay eggs and light up at night.

“For 8 years, we have seen that when the natural condition at Bang Kachao has been purified, some fireflies return. Bang Kachao is not only the lungs of Bangkok, but also the tourist attraction. We make this area be the Firefly Island near Bangkok. We can show it to everyone in the world. Today, our dream comes true from the harmonious working of local people at Bang Kachao under the support by the government sector. The sustainability and tangible outcome came from our understanding and unique target that we would make fireflies be the valuable asset of this community.”

Travelling to Bang Kachao is one of important activities for “Sustainable Brand 2016” participants to allow them to touch the community life under the concept of sustainability, and to share ideas with the leaders of this community, in order to make the Bang Kachao dream come true.

SB 2016 Bangkok and Tourism Authority of Thailand invite you all to appreciate the community life under the concept of sustainability. Come to brainstorm with the world's brand leaders and builders, and to mutually create "thought heritage" at Bang Kachao at Co-creating City on 11 October 2016. Please visit http://events.sustainablebrands.com/sb16bkk/ticket-list/ for tickets.