Local Community Products in Thailand
Local Community Products in Thailand -??Hand-Woven ??Palm Leaf Hat
Whenever, I have an opportunity to give back and help others, I always shop for local community or OTOP ( One Tambon One Product) products in Thailand. The products are unique and sometimes, you can not find it anywhere else. The village communities in Thailand have produced many unique hand-made products and handicrafts such as silk and spa products (soap, essential oils, body scrub etc) from locally available materials utilising local wisdom and skills handed down from generation to generation. It also helps to grow the agrotourism sector of the tourism industry in Thailand.
Multi-coloured Fruit Wine from Prae Province, Thailand
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Fresh green algae found in the Nan river consumed as a snack (Phrae province, Thailand)
What is Agrotourism? It is a form of sustainable tourism for rural areas that aims at bringing the visitor in touch with the natural environment, agricultural activities, local products, and a taste of community lifestyle. Importantly, it also create employment and improve the standard of living in a community.
Traditional indigenous method to extract sesame oil (Mae Hong Song, Thailand)
OTOP product – Premium sesame oil (Mae Hong Son, Thailand)
Last year, I visited a small village in Mae Hong Son who runs a small sesame oil business. Sesame oil is widely used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese cuisine.The family is still adopting the traditional indigenous method to extract sesame oil. The seeds are crushed using a male water buffalo. It is eye opening to see how the process is done without using modern machinery.
Traditional Silk Weaving (Lablae province, Thailand)
Hand-Woven Silk materials (Surin, Thailand)??
Simply look out for the OTOP??label during your next visit to Thailand. The product items are reasonable price. If your students deserve a fun but educational break from the everyday class routine, you may consider organising a farm stay in Khao Yai and it is an American cowboy town in Thailand or visit the Thailand Tourism Festival in Bangkok. It aims to promote tourism in Thailand as well as to show the uniqueness of Thai arts, culture and tradition. The event consists of exhibitions, sales booths, activities and performances to reach out to every group of potential tourists.
I am wearing a hand-woven cotton shirt from Nakhon Ratchasima (Northeastern Thailand)
