Turning waste into worth

Established in 1995 as part of efforts to aid victims of severe flooding around the country by HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha and her mother, HRH Princess Somsavali, the Friends in Need (of Pa) Volunteers Foundation today focuses on helping communities improve their quality of life by following the precepts of the sufficiency economy. 

For more than a decade, the foundation has taught villagers the basics of organic agriculture as well as how to create household products and handicrafts, with some of the goods coming to Bangkok to be sold at the annual Thai Red Cross Fair. 

“In 1995, when Bangkok suffered severe flooding, Their Royal Highnesses Princess Bajra Kitiyabha and Princess Somsavali helped victims by handing out relief packages. That led to the setting up of the Friends in Need (of Pa) Volunteer Foundation, which continues to help those affected by floods all around the country. In addition to community work, we are also implementing flash-flood monitoring,” says Dhitiwat Wongwannakul. “We build learning centres in villages to educate local people how to produce such household products as wood vinegar, washing liquid, herbal dentifrice, charcoal, organic fertiliser and handicrafts. If they can plant vegetables at home and produce some household products by themselves, they can save a lot of money.”

The Princess has long wanted to expand the Bangkok effort and last month, the foundation opened its Puenpuengpa shop on the first floor of Thanya Shopping Mall. The store, which Dhitiwat manages, is modest, sporting colourful shelves and stools against natural walls. 

The products are divided into two categories. Souvenirs 

 direct from the foundation include notebooks, screened T-shirts, polo shirts, pot holders, melamine tiffins, ceramic mugs, aprons, umbrellas, tissue holders, canvas tote bags, pillows and dolls. 

There’s also an attractive selection of decoupage on baskets, boxes and handbags, created by HRH Princess Somsavali. Perfect for festive gifts are the hand-woven cotton scarves, handbags and key rings made by artisans in Angthong province.

The shelves are stacked with the sufficiency products produced by villagers including dishwashing liquid, laundry liquid, herbal dentifrice and fresh vegetables along with wood vinegar to protect you from insects, PPP Charko (high-quality carbon wood char

 coal) to purify the air and PPP Grill charcoal for cooking. 

Among the best sellers are the liver pates and pork sausage with mushrooms prepared to Princess Somsavali’s recipes.

“We’re developing wood vinegar 

 to make shampoo and bath lotion too. And we’ll be opening small shops at the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-Operatives in 77 provinces,” says Dhitiwat.

 

GOING NATURAL

Puenpuengpa Shop is located on the first floor of Thanya Shopping Mall on Srinakarin Road. It’s open daily from 10am to 10pm. Call (02) 256 4427 or visit www.Puenpuengpa.com or www.Princess-Pa-Foundation.or.th.