Planting seeds for tourism

PROMOTING THE IDEA of leisure travel as a learning experience, the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Chiang Mai has launched a project, formally called “Tam Roi Phiphat Assajan Haeng Khun Khao” or locally as “Chuan Kan Aeow Doi Tam Roi Phor Luang”, which roughly translates as “follow the Royal Projects on miraculous mountains”.

“There are many different types of travel and leisure tourism covering a broad spectrum of activities. This new project aims to support and encourage people to learn while having fun. In Chiang Mai and elsewhere in the North, there are many valuable and important learning centres, which are known as the Royal Project Development Centres. His Majesty the King has dedicated his life to visiting his people and has spent considerable time in remote rural areas where he initiated his royal projects,” said Wisoot Buachoom, director of the TAT in Chiang Mai at a press conference last weekend at the Royal Agricultural Station Inthanon.

“Visitors can learn about the winter vegetables and fruits grown here and the fishery, which raises aquatic animals like rainbow trout and sturgeon. These centres show how land that was earlier used for growing opium poppies can be cultivated for the benefit of everyone. His Majesty the King brought fertility back to the area. Now it is also a tourist destination.” 

The project aims to turn all the Royal Project centres into tourist attractions. Six routes were designed last year, encompassing 15 out of 38 Royal Projects. 

The first route, which is already proving popular, takes visitors to Angkhang, Chiang Dao and Huay Luek with stops at the Angkhang station and Huay Luek centre. 

The second route takes in Chom Thong, Inthanon and Mae Cham and showcases Inthanon and Khun Wang, while the third, covering Mae Tho and Huay Tom, includes a visit to the Mae Tho Royal Project. 

Tourists interested in the Mae Rim and Samoeng area are invited to stop off at the Nong Hoi Royal Project Development Centre, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Royal Agricultural Station Pang Da, and Royal Park Rajapruek.

The pine forest of Wat Chan and its centre along with Galyani Vadhana district make up the fifth route while Huai Hong Krai, Teentok, Pa Miang and Ban Thung Ji are on the sixth.

“We hope Thais will choose to travel one or more of these routes independently, taking along their families and using the time out to build stronger relationships,” Wisoot says. “Our next step is to work with tour agencies.”

A good place to start is the Royal Project centre on Doi Inthanon.

“Most of us associate Inthanon with Thailand’s highest peak but from now it should also bring to mind the Royal Agricultural Station,” adds its director, Somchai Khewdang. “His Majesty the King helped villagers to plant the first three Arabica [coffee] bushes in 1974 before setting up this Royal Project. At that time, deforestation and poppy cultivation had turned the mountain into a tree-less desert. Today it is rich and fertile with abundant fields and orchards. Thanks to His Majesty, the people here have a decent life.

“The research station mostly focuses on winter flowers. If we can grow and produce winter blossoms, we will be able to reduce imports. We grow vegetables and fruits and thanks to our clean and pure water source, we have a flourishing fishery. The Royal Project encourages the cultivation of strawberries and today we grow several varieties at very high altitudes.”

 Our group of hardy reporters rose well before dawn for the journey up to Kew Mae Pan nature trail, which boasts probably the most spectacular view of the sunrise over Doi Inthanon. The temperature was a chilly 2 degrees Celsius and we were shivering as we visited the twin royal pagodas of Phra Mahathat Naphamethanidon and Naphapholphumisiri near the summit.

Warmed by a late breakfast of rainbow trout and sturgeon, we headed to the Khun Wang Royal Project Development Centre, home to a sea of wild Himalayan cherry blossoms.

At the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden in Samoeng district, Chiang Mai, we walked along the country’s longest canopy walkway – 400 metres long and 20 metres high – as it winds along the mountainside and visited several greenhouses filled with orchids, lotuses, bromeliads and other subtropical and tropical plants. The garden’s highlight is the Rainforest House, which cleverly recreates a southern Thai forest with ferns, palms, ginger and other tropical species and also boasts a walkway and waterfall.

At Mon Cham, a beautiful hilltop farm and restaurant with stunning views, we sampled a traditional snack lunch then piled back into the vehicles for the short drive to Nong Hoi Royal Project Development Centre.

“Mon Cham is actually part of the project and is spread over just 14 rai. It was originally intended as a place where visitors could observe agricultural activities and taste the Royal Project’s products. It wasn’t well known until 2011 when many Bangkokians fled the floods and Mon Cham became a popular film location for several TV dramas. Since then, it’s positively blossomed as a tourist destination. The villagers can sell their handicrafts here rather than have to head to Chiang Mai’s Night Bazaar. If you come to Mon Cham during August and September, the sky is so clear that you can see Doi Luang Chiang Dao,” says project head Poobet Muangmoon, as we sip a refreshing concoction of mint, lemon thyme, lemon balm, chamomile, scented tea and stevia.

“However, we now facing a decrease in agricultural land so we are encouraging our agriculturalists to grow more vegetables in plastic greenhouses. We have three ways of growing: in soil, in water following hydroponic techniques and in chopped brown spathe, which we call a substrate culture. Our most profitable greenhouse vegetables are sweet peppers, which are priced at Bt70 per kilogram. 

“Our farmers grow 21 vegetables including crisphead lettuce and Chinese cabbage. We provide six tonnes of Chinese cabbage to MK every week and our crisphead lettuce goes to QP, which delivers for McDonald’s. Right now our farmers are earning a guaranteed minimum of Bt300,000 per year and five of them are topping Bt1 million, which is more than the officials receive,” he says. 

“We also have a post-harvest system of hydro cooling, force-air cooling, and hydro-vacuum cooling.”

 The Royal Agricultural Station Pang Da is also thriving, says its chief Wipat Duangpoch.

 “Nowadays, many royal projects are also tourist destinations. Pang Da is a research station and offers accommodation for 50 people. Most of our visitors are here for staff training or parties, probably more so than Angkhang, Inthanon and Mon Cham,” says Wipat. 

“We conduct research together with plant breeding and are currently breeding two-colour maize, gloriosa with pure yellow and pure pink flowers and seven curcuma hybrids. We produce and deliver the curcuma rhizomes to Holland, and they return the favour by giving us the tulip rhizomes. We are famous for our Beauty seedless grapes, and are now growing blackberries, which we sell to hotels and restaurants.”