NARRATIVE OF SUCCESS ON AGRO-TOURISM MANAGEMENT WITH SUFFICIENCY ECONOMY PHILOSOPHY FOR SUSTAINABILITY AT RAI RUEN ROM ORGANIC FARM, THOENG DISTRICT, CHIANG RAI PROVINCE

Abstract

     The objective of the current research was to study the success of managing Agro-tourism with Sufficiency Economy Philosophy for sustainability at Rai Ruen Rom Organic Farm, Thoeng district, Chiang Rai province. The key informant was Ms. Sirivimol Kitaphanich, the farm’s founder and other 7 ones who have participated in farm management. The qualitative method was employed including research tool, namely, a semi-structured interview to obtain the informant’s biography and non-participant observation.
     According to the interview, it was revealed that since Ms. Sirivimol Kitaphanich was young until graduated from the Faculty of Communication Arts, she had never run any agricultural jobs. However, she decided to challenge herself by learning to be an agriculturist under “The Project of One Rai One Hundred Thousand”. Due to the project, she was interested in the sufficiency-economy principle and started “Rai Ruen Rom Organic Farm”. Since the beginning of operating organic farm, she has applied the core principle to manage the farm by using the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy consisting of “Three Pillars and Two Conditions”. The intention of the farm is to operate creative agriculture and food processing including to distribute profound agricultural knowledge in aspects of fun, interesting, easy understanding, simple communication. The concept mentioned was planned to share and extend to those who might be interested in the sufficiency-economy principle.
     Ms.Sirivimol Kitaphanich has succeeded as a developer who transformed a farmland as an Agro-tourism attraction under the concept of “Eat Live Learn Sleep”. In addition, there have been several learning-based activities related to sufficiency economy principle, tourist attraction management, weekend market for tourists, and tourism services based on agricultural tourism component. Due to her operation, Ms. Sirivimol Kitaphanich has received the award, namely, Outstanding Women Leaders for Green Growth Award from the Federation of Business and Professional Women Thailand in 2018.