The Kalasin Provincial Office of Tourism and Sports is advancing a project to elevate creative tourism, emphasizing "local food identity" as a new selling point. The aim is to attract tourists and distribute income to communities through key travel routes, including Geopark and Dvaravati routes.
"The Flavors of Kalasin" project brings in experts to explore local tastes. Dr. Panupak Pongsathichat, the Kalasin Provincial Tourism and Sports Officer, assigned a team led by renowned Chef Paisan Chewinsiriwat to visit the area as instructors, sharing knowledge on meal presentation, cost calculation, and techniques for creatively using local ingredients to develop new, standard, and visually appealing dishes.
Highlighting signature dishes from two pilot districts, from practical workshops in Kam Muang and Sahatsakhan districts, GI ingredients have been transformed into creative dishes. In Kam Muang, known for jujubes, dishes such as GI Miang Jujube, Jujube Som Tum, and Jujube combos were developed. In Sahatsakhan, featured dishes include sticky rice with glass fish, peanut cookies, and dinosaur eggs.
Chef Paisan demonstrated the dish "Kanom Jeen with Shrimp Paste Sauce" served in a traditional Thai set to inspire the community.
Kalasin targets four potential tourism communities. This project covers four communities along three Geopark routes and one Dvaravati route: the fossil wood community at Phu Po in Na Bon Subdistrict, Kam Muang District; Sahatsakhan tourism community; Phu Nam Chan tourism community in Lao Yai Subdistrict, Kuchinarai District; and Ban Sema community in Nong Paen Subdistrict, Kamalasai District on the Dvaravati route.
The next phase of the project is scheduled to be completed before the New Year, allowing communities to prepare to welcome tourists with these distinctive menus during the upcoming Songkran festival. It is expected to create a strong impression and attract financial inflows to Kalasin Province.