Thai Way x MICE Way Enchanting Isan way narrated through local community of MICE
Speaking of Thailand Northeastern Region, as known as “Isan,” the portrait of farmers’ life is undoubtedly the first thing that comes up in everyone’s mind as a backbone of Thailand. Isan villagers not only live in a simple, fun, and full of friendliness everyday life, but their warm hospitality toward the visitors is also considered second to none. The Isan way of life is conveyed through various aspects that can be seen in Isan villagers’ daily life such as feast, dialect, arts, and culture across the generations.
Apart from its geography suitable for agriculture, Thailand Northeastern Region also has the black soil trace, the prehistoric civilization which turns a small village into the World Heritage site that many people want to see with their own eyes at least once.
‘Ban Chiang Community’, the archaeological site and national museum located at Ban Chiang sub-district, Nong Han district of Udon Thani province, is the World Heritage site portraying Tai Phuan people’s way of life. This is the community where MICE travellers get to experience Tai Phuan’s culture and learn their local wisdom such as making unique local patterns pottery which can be improved and created to be more well-known through narrating and demonstrating by local gurus. They even have a workshop for MICE travellers to have an opportunity to make a pottery by themselves also.
Moreover, MICE travellers can also get to learn how to make indigo-dyed cotton or weaving bamboo basketry and the highlight in Ban Chiang Community is staying with the villagers at their homestays to experience real life of the Tai Phuan through many activities: joining welcoming ceremony, having Tai Phuan’s unique and traditional dinner called Pa laeng, and enjoying folk activities at the cultural courtyard, which will help MICE travellers to understand Tai Phuan’s way of life as the World Heritage site better than ever. Also, if you are interested in their hand-made products, you can support them by purchasing the products and promoting Ban Chiang Community through these souvenirs and narrations of your own experiences.
Let’s move on to another charming local community. We would like to introduce you to the way of life of Isan people who practice agriculture in “Ban Suk Somboon Community”, Thai Samakkhi sub-district, Wang Nam Khiao district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. This is the place that not only people are full of simplicity and harmony with nature but also embraced by lush greenery in the middle of a valley, where the air is fresh and cool all year round.
Ban Suk Somboon is an agricultural community full of the farms of organic vegetable that can be cooked into delicious and healthy dishes for travellers to get a taste. Aside from healthy food, visitors can also participate in a unique reforestation activity using a slingshot to shoot seed balls into the woods at Thap Lan National Park. This activity gives MICE travellers an experience in Isan people’s everyday life that is interconnected the harmony between community and nature altogether.
What we share is only a fraction of the enchanting ways of Isan communities. If you genuinely want to get a glimpse of the beauty, pleasantness, way of life and richness of this region in a person, we strongly suggest you to visit Isan villages at least once in a lifetime.
Sources: trtaward.com
Share articles
