An inspiration to the north

At first glance, Ban Rai Gong King, a village in Chiang Mai’s Hang Dong district, looks like any rural settlement in this part of the world – a scattering of small houses, narrow gravel roads and fruit orchards.

But Ban Rai Gong King is very different from its neighbours. What makes it special is the way of life, which not only creates a strong bond among the villagers and promotes good health but today is also drawing visitors wanting to leave the rat race behind.

People here leave their beds before dawn to tend their small gardens where a variety of vegetables are grown and make up the major part of their meals.

As the sun rises, some are already hard at work in the orchards. Others are busy tending to their hives, the focus of a community business that produces honey as well as pollen and honey-based soaps and other herbal items. Nearly everyone grows herbs at their houses and these dried herbs – said to ease numbness – are in high demand.

Indeed, herbs have played a major role in the community for several years, first helping to soothe the side effects of too many years of chemical fertilisers and later easing the pains of HIV/Aids.

All the products are sold under the brand name Suk Siam, the brainchild of the community’s saving club that today has more than 200 members. Last year, revenue from sales topped Bt9 million and 60 per cent of that went back to members at the end of the year.

In the evenings resident relax at the community spa, where an hour of traditional Thai massage costs Bt150 and a session in the sauna, breathing in the fragrant home-grown herbs, goes for Bt50. Exercise equipment is available for free at the community health centre and gets plenty of use.

Sundays see the students taking part in the weekly cleaning campaign and collecting the leaves on the public roads. For each small bag of leaves, they receive one egg. The leaves go to the central fertiliser-making facility, which helps the village avoid chemical fertilisers.

“I want this village to stay clean,” says young volunteer Guide, as he pushes a cart of fresh eggs to distribute to the other boys.

Somsak Inthachai, the village chief, is pleased that the way of life has become a selling point.

The village turned itself into a tourism destination in 2013. Homestays were introduced, bundled with healthy food and activities. In addition to participating in the village chores, they can take a morning bike ride to the nearby attractions, which include Royal Ratchaphruek Garden, the 700-year-old Wat Ton Kwen, and Muang Koong Village – a major supplier of pottery items. For Bt300, they can try a “Yam Khang”, a traditional foot massage that requires the masseuse to heat his feet, already soaked with sesame and herbal oil, on a red-hot steel plate. At night, they will be treated to Khan Tok – the traditional northern-style dinner, a drum show and traditional dance. 

“Visiting a community means you need to get to know the people through their food and their lives,” Somsak says. 

Hundreds of thousand visitors have come to Ban Rai Gong King to enjoy the sustainable way of life, among them hospitality students from Singapore and the United States. The number is set to increase as the village was recognised by Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) with an “honourable mention” when the organisation handed out the Tourism InSPIRE Awards in 2015.

Recognising organisations and businesses that have demonstrated excellence in social, environmental and economic sustainability in tourism, the awards are in six categories: Best Branded Accommodation, Best Independent Accommodation, Best Marine and Wildlife Tourism Provider, Best Culture and Heritage Tourism Provider, Best Responsible Tourism Destination, and Best Community-Based Tourism Initiative.

The winners of these awards, according to Pata, exemplify use and application of sustainable consumption approaches, resource efficiency, the value chain approach, eco-innovation, sustainable reporting, community action, cultural heritage, and collective impact.

The winner in the Best Community-Based Tourism Initiative was Bojo Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association in the Philippines. The association was formed in 2009 to take care of Aloguinsan’s 1.4-kilometre Bojo River, with support from fishermen who now work as river cruise guides. The members have received training in ecotourism, housekeeping and accommodation, handicrafts and other livelihood programmes. The foundation now counts more than 50 family members and its model has been replicated in neighbouring communities.

Somsak says the honourable mention has motivated him to do more though he admits that not everyone shares his enthusiasm for the tourism scheme.

“We’ve only been involved in tourism for three years and we’ve already earned a mention. Tourism has generated more income. This award should encourage all community members to join hands in preserving our culture,” says Somsak who has been the village chief for 22 years.

While ready to export the knowledge to neighbouring communities, Ban Rai Gong King is striving to learn more from others. With help from Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Public Organisation), the village found its strengths in herbs then turned to Mae Jo University for help with the packaging. Dasta also arranged trips to other successful communities in Trat and Rayong where villagers could study how to run tourism successfully and sustainably. Tips on making herbal items were also cultivated from a visit to the Chao Phya Aphaiphubejhr Hospital foundation in Prachin Buri while a trip to Japan inspired Suphan, Somsak’s wife and biggest supporter, in the cooking and presentation of food..

Plans are in the pipeline to make the village “homes of health and wealth”. They include the production of organic fertiliser pellets and a larger garden with steam rooms where visitors can enjoy the benefits of the herbs they pick. The massage room will be expanded too to take account of the larger number of visitors.

“We don’t want to rush. We need to know what we are capable of,” Suphan says.