Walailak University organized a safe agriculture outreach program to promote sustainability in community tourism management

Wang Ang Subdistrict, Cha Uat District, Nakhon Si Thammarat is the significant upstream of Pak Phanang River Basin. It is the river source of Huai Nam Sai Reservoir in the area of Khao Pu–Khao Ya National Park. Khao Pu–Khao Ya is abundant with natural resources, forests, mountains, caves, rivers, and waterfalls where the locals have maintained the traditional way of life of the community.

Walailak University, in cooperation with the Office of the Royal Development Projects Board, Administration and Coordination Center for Pak Phanang River Basin Development Initiated by His Majesty, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, operated “Raising the Safe Local Vegetable for Supporting Community – Based Tourism” project. The project aims to pass on free access to the educational outreach program, to develop the potential of farmers in the watershed areas of Wang Ang Subdistrict, and to create eco-friendly farming for the upstream ecosystem and consumers. Accordingly, the community farmers participated in the workshop on the prevention and control of plant diseases and insects with the biological method using Trichoderma asperellum (NST–009), Metarhizium anisopliae, and Beauveria bassiana instead of chemicals. These fungi will detoxify the community’s farm-produced crops, develop trust, and provide safe food sources for visitors. In addition, setting the community’s capability for conservative tourism helped promote the sustainability of tourism management, tourist route, and community products. In 2021, activities carried out were as follows:

1. Exploring the potentiality of community tourism resources
2. Establishing a linking route of tourism within and outside the community
3. Selecting local dishes from local vegetables as a unique menu to tourists, such as wild-banana stem chicken curry and spicy thamrnang (vernacular name)leaf shrimp paste dip
4. Community branding “Ban Wang Ang Community Identity Vegetable Set” for unique community souvenirs, such as cloth bags and masks.
5. Local interpreter training courses to extend community potential and engage the youth group in leading and managing sustainable community tourism.

The educational outreach program at Wang Ang Subdistrict, under the name Ban Wang Hon Upstream Community Enterprise, Wang Ang Sub-district is recognized for its advancement in community tourism management. With the Community-Based Tourism Award for the year 2020 (2563 B.E.), CBT Thailand Standard 2020-2022, Wang Ang Subdistrict is proud of its achievement as one of the 19 communities across the country.