Life in ThailandThai ways of living - be it countryside or city - have their own distinct styles, rhythms and habits. The kingdom, and especially Bangkok, is also home to an interesting variety of locals and expatriates. Learn about the views and lives of local and expatriate communities, in addition to helpful tips for those exploring and living a Life in Thailand.
Located in Prachin Buri province’s Muang district, the village of Dongbang has flourishing rice fields, fruit orchards, as well as producing mid-size trees suitable for landscape gardening. But during the mid-1990s, the Ban Dongbang (‘Dongbang Village’) group opted to differentiate itself from the mainstream by producing organic, chemical-free herbs.
After years of struggle, the group has now managed to make traditional, local knowledge sustainable for the benefit of the community. Ban Dongbang has supplied a wide variety of organic herbs to the province’s Chao Phya Abhaibhubej Hospital - the country’s largest producer of herbal products.
“I’m so proud to share our responsibility for preserving the environment and our ancestors’ wisdom,” says Samai Khoonsouk, one of the founders of the group, which was established in 1996.
Samai’s father, uncles and others learned from Samai’s grandfather – Kaew – a renowned traditional medicine practitioner among the village’s earliest residents, who migrated from the east bank of the Khong River to settle in what is now Ban Dongbang over 100 years ago.
While villagers grew up around traditional medicine, they didn’t really expect to be able to use it to create a modern-day model of a successful business.
Samai says he once survived by farming rice and landscaping, but then as agricultural production turned to chemicals and business became increasingly competitive, Samai and 12 other villagers decided to switch over to the production of organically grown, chemical-free herbs in cooperation with Chao Phya Abhaibhubej Hospital. The group grows 13 varieties of herbs for the hospital for use in medicinal capsules, ointment, as well as personal hygiene and cosmetic products.
Tipaporn Khoonsi, a leading member of the group, says that the members had to initially work extremely hard. The villagers involved – aged from 35 to 71 – had to acquire knowledge and expertise about medicinal properties, growing methods, soil fertility and other related matters, as well as how to establish a business. During the early years, members earned very little money, according to Tipaporn.
The group meets the requirements of organic farming standards and received official certification from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in 2000. After several years of building up their knowledge and expertise, the villagers were eventually able to expand the group’s organic farming operations to cover 77 rai (about 12 hectares).
“We’d attended many workshops and lectures, but the most effective way
to learn was through hands-on experience,” Tipaporn says. Each member
had to learn how to cut or pick the parts of the plants that yield the
required ingredient at the right time. Each variety has its own natural
growing habits and growth rates, according to Tipaporn.
About five years ago, the group began to stabilize its financial
position and gained wider recognition among communities both within the
province and across the nation. At present, each member earns between
25-30,000 baht (US$706-847) per month, roughly equivalent to the salary
of a highly-experienced schoolteacher.
Freshness essential
Members
are responsible for the production of trees and plants on their plots
of land, although once ready they are generally quickly taken to the
group’s center to be prepared in compliance with production guidelines
and standards.
Ban Dongbang includes a drying facility, an
oven in which to prepare the herbs, a store room, an office, a store
for the sale of the group's products, along with a thatched pavilion in
which visitors can take a rest.
The success in cultivating herbs organically has led to other forms of
development, including the provision of talks aimed at sharing
knowledge and focusing on tourism. The village is now famous for its
work in such areas as preserving the environment, self-sufficiency in
business development, and in demonstrating dedicated cooperation among
its members.
The group hosts annual workshops and talks on growing chemical-free
herbs for college students and others from across the country. Students
and visitors are welcome to visit the group’s orchards, which encircle
the main center of the group's operations. There’s even a walk during
which participants can learn more about the names and properties of
each herb. There are plenty of signposts and information provided in
the form of notices along the way.
The group began actively promoting agricultural tourism in 2007. Now,
if you phone ahead, it's even possible to arrange for meals to be
prepared using fresh ingredients grown by the group. Members take turns
in acting as a guide and preparing the food for guests. Samai’s
residence is included as part of the group’s homestay program.
The group has been busy looking out for ways to ensure Ban Dongbang's
long-term success, including efforts to tie it in to the future of
younger members of the community. Members of the group encourage their
children and other young relatives to study for degrees in traditional
medicine and business management so that in future the group's
operational success can be assured.
“I hope to see Ban Dongbang further developed by our children,” Samai
says. “I’m sure they’ll realize the important value of local wisdom, as
well as appreciating the hardship we’ve experienced along the way.”
Life in Thailand 
Life in Thailand
Thai ways of living - be it countryside or city - have their own distinct styles, rhythms and habits. The kingdom, and especially Bangkok, is also home to an interesting variety of locals and expatriates. Learn about the views and lives of local and expatriate communities, in addition to helpful tips for those exploring and living a Life in Thailand.
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The success in cultivating herbs organically has led to other forms of
development, including the provision of talks aimed at sharing
knowledge and focusing on tourism. The village is now famous for its
work in such areas as preserving the environment, self-sufficiency in
business development, and in demonstrating dedicated cooperation among
its members. 
