The Ministry of Culture visited Nong Khai and designated Ban Duea as a model community to experience local ways and the 700-year-old identity along the Mekong River. They launched the "Hod Ban Duea" tourism route to showcase riverside identity and enjoy fig-based dishes, advancing the community's charm into a global-level Unseen Thai destination along the Mekong.
Mr. Prasop Riangngern, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of the top model community project "Community Tourism, Experiencing Local Ways" for fiscal year 2025 at Ban Duea community, Nong Khai Province, along with the cultural and riverside lifestyle tourism promotion project "Hod Ban Duea" at the Mekong Cultural Plaza of Wat Uthumphon, Ban Duea, Ban Duea Subdistrict, Mueang Nong Khai District, Nong Khai Province.
Mr. Prasop stated that the government, through the Ministry of Culture, drives government policy to strengthen the grassroots economy of communities by developing and enhancing existing cultural capital to create economic value through creative cultural tourism. The "Thai Thai" policy, under the concept "Preserving, Creating, Leading Thai Culture to a Sustainable Future," aims to promote "cultural power" as a tangible economic force. The ministry has implemented a project selecting 10 top model communities for "Community Tourism, Experiencing Local Ways" nationwide annually since 2021, totaling 50 communities to date. In 2025, Ban Duea community, Ban Duea Subdistrict, Mueang Nong Khai District, was selected as one of the top 10 model communities by the Ministry of Culture. Each year, the selected communities receive broad publicity to become new tourism destinations offering both Thai and international tourists experiences combined with identity learning, generating jobs and income for local people.
"Ban Duea community" is a community with comprehensive tourism potential, selected as one of the top 10 model communities due to strong cultural leadership and networks, community unity, and ongoing preservation, continuation, and enhancement of cultural capital to sustainably create value and economic benefit. This helps provide opportunities and income for community members, encouraging younger generations to stay close to their families in their homeland.
Mr. Prasop highlighted the uniqueness of Ban Duea community’s riverside lifestyle along the Mekong. Key highlights include viewing Lan Chang architecture at Wat Uthumphon and tasting local dishes exclusive to the community, such as fried Nile tilapia with fig leaves, fig chili paste (winner of the "Yok Phon Khon Nam Prik" contest), and Ban Duea-style fish hot pot. Tourism experiences also include Mekong river lifestyle activities like palm leaf bird folding, boat cruises to watch the sunset over the Thailand-Laos border, and wearing fig-dyed shirts paired with beautifully patterned Naga sarongs.
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