Central Tham Project
Central Group sustainability initiative that focuses on minimizing inequality and providing opportunities to all members of society together by transforming education into a hub of learning. Furthermore, it intends to promote careers for people with disabilities, as well as develop community economies, create jobs with stable income, share knowledge, support marketing communication channels, preserve and protect the environment in order to create a green world, and eventually guide all sectors toward sustainable tourism.
Better Together
Project Highlights
Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai Province
Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai is a community tourism project based on organic agriculture that started in 2012 and covers more than 11.07 acres in the Central Group's "Jing Jai Central Chiang Mai" area. The market is organized into 3 sections: Food, Art & Design, and Craft. In addition, there is a Tops Green store, the first green store, as well as a Good Goods store, which is a Thai social enterprise brand that carries on local wisdom and has developed in quality and modernized design to be contemporary with an emphasis on creating sustainable happiness for both locals and tourists.
Jing Jai Market is a 100% no-foam market that encourages customers to bring their own cloth bags in order to lessen plastic waste. There are trash bins placed in the market to facilitate the transmission of the proper waste management process in accordance with the objectives of the Central Group's Journey to Zero project. COWTEC (a compost and biogas generator) was installed in the market to turn food waste into fertilizer and biogas. Furthermore, some of the roads within Jing Jai Market are paved with recycled paving blocks made from plastic bags, which is an innovative approach to managing plastic garbage in a circular manner and increasing the sustainability of benefits.
Na Muen Sri Weaving Community Learning Center, Trang Province
Over 200 years of history of the largest weaving source in the country with up to 39 original fabric patterns that should be preserved and carried on, Na Muen Sri is considered a revered item of Trang Province that has helped bring together people in the community to inherit local wisdom perfectly.
With this, Central Tham has recognized the importance of conserving the culture and growing impact of the Na Muen Sri project and therefore has supported making vast improvements to the museum building and the local product shop. We’ve also promoted Na Muen Sri weaving cloth to become an integral product of the community and develop this area into becoming a tourist attraction that builds income and sustainable development to the community from generation to generation.
Cherntawan Buddhist Ecological Learning Center for Organic Agriculture, Chiang Rai Province
Central Tham collaborates with Pramaha Vuttichai Wachiramatee (Than W. Wachiramethi), the founder of Cherntawan International Meditation Center (Chiang Rai), and network partners to expand the Chuentawan Phuttha Niwet organic farming initiative towards "a prototype of a learning center for organic farming innovation."
It is a learning resource for farmers in pure and chemical-free farming, focusing on the use of new theory agriculture to develop community enterprises, the economy, society, and the environment for sustainability on 3,200 square meters of land. It has been in operation since 2013 and has so far instructed 13 classes. Central Tham aims to intend to expand organic farming to 13 rai (5.14 acres), with 3 rai (4,800 square meters) dedicated to food crops and cash crops and 10 rai (3.95 acres) dedicated to home-grown vegetables and local herbs.
Mae Tha Sustainable Organic Farming Community, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province
Collaborating with the Earth Net Foundation and a number of other organizations to promote and support various aspects to make the Mae Tha Sustainable Living Project as a model project on an area of 9 rai (3.56 square meters).
It aims to bring together members of the new generation to designate space for various benefits, as well as to support the Mae Tha Sustainable Living Space Project in order to support new activities that are in line with sustainable agriculture today. Furthermore, Central Tham has steadily increased its capacity for processing more agricultural products, positioning it as a model community for organic farming and welcoming visitors to learn about organic farming and sustainable lifestyles. In order to encourage tourists and farmers to reside closer to the community.
Bhu Chee Duen Forest Preserving Coffee, Chiang Rai Province
Bhu Chee Duen is an origin of single and natural organic Arabica coffee cultivated with care under preserved trees for the healthy growth of coffee trees and the sustainability of the environment and the community.
Central Tham has supported the community enterprise of the Bhu Chee Duen Forest Preservation Organic Coffee Group in Chiang Rai, encouraging farmers in the community to switch from monoculture farming and chemical use to forest-preserving coffee. It imports original Typica and Muldering breeds from overseas for planting in the Bhu Chee Duen natural forest, which is protecting the forest by planting coffee on over 1,500 rai (593.05 acres).
The Ban Kut Chik Indigo-dyed Fabric Community, Sakon Nakhon Province
In collaboration with the Department of Community Development to support the development of the Ban Kut Chik weaving group, with an emphasis on cooperation between communities and organizations to find strengths and uniqueness. In addition, the community plants cotton and indigo to produce natural colors on their own.
The Central Group has elevated the unique talents of this community and passed on the skills, knowledge, and expertise that the Central Group possesses in order to develop products and promote sales and marketing in order to generate income and create employment for local people. By creating new patterns, supporting a dyeing factory, supporting distribution channels, and developing Sakon Nakhon indigo fabrics into a variety of products under the name "good goods." This initiative has generated income for the community while also preserving the weaving culture.
The Learning Center for Agricultural Product Development and Community Products, Ban Theppana, Thep Sathit District, Chaiyaphum Province
Help farmers in the area earn more income by approaching sustainable agriculture. Hass Mexican avocados are the community's primary product which is the best breed in the world. Growing Hass avocados was started for sustainable agriculture and to help farmers in the area earn more income. Avocados are valuable cash crops with high demand in both domestic and foreign markets.
Central Tham has contributed to the community by developing community tourism with an organic agriculture approach and developing a tourist route in collaboration with the Chaiyaphum Provincial Tourism and Sports Office to support the growing number of tourists each year.
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