The Ministry of Culture has introduced “Ban Khiriwong” community in Nakhon Si Thammarat as one of the top 10 exemplary communities in the 2025 “Community Travel, Experience the Way of Life” program, showcasing the charm of its pure air amidst Khao Luang mountains, traditional orchard lifestyle, and natural dye handicrafts.
Ms. Ranee Itarat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of the awareness-raising event for community tourism routes of the top exemplary communities. “Community Travel, Experience the Way of Life” for the fiscal year 2025 featured Ban Khiriwong community in Lansaka district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The event was attended by Mr. Witthaya Khiewrod, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat; Ms. Waraporn Chaiyanasiri, Inspector of the Ministry of Culture; Mr. Somchok Sena, Lansaka district chief and leader of Ban Khiriwong community; Ms. Somsri Saengkaew, Nakhon Si Thammarat provincial cultural officer; Southern provincial cultural officers; government department heads; local leaders; and residents of Ban Khiriwong at the Khiriwong Khlong Tha Dee Bridge area, Ban Khiriwong village, Kamlon subdistrict, Lansaka district, Nakhon Si Thammarat.
On this occasion, the chairperson and delegation watched cultural performances including Nora Southern art and visited workshops featuring eco-print fabric making, tie-dye, natural-dye batik, soap made from mangosteen peel, bracelet weaving from natural materials and Khao Luang lace. They also observed demonstrations and sampled local community dishes such as herbal mixed rice salad, Southern-style coconut milk stir-fried noodles, chicken curry with fig, omelet with Krut leaf, tamarind soda, traditional Thai sweets, durian wrapped in betel palm sheath, red coconut dumplings, dragon blood tea, spicy fish cakes, Southern-style sweet crisps, and other Southern Thai desserts, reflecting the distinctive identity of Southern cuisine.
Ms. Ranee said the Ministry of Culture is committed to advancing the policy “Culture Leads Thailand Toward a Sustainable Future” by promoting cultural capital as a tangible economic force through creative cultural tourism. The UNSEEN “Thai Thai” policy under the concept “Preserving, Creating, Leading Thai Culture Toward a Sustainable Future” supports the project selecting 10 top exemplary communities for “Community Travel, Experience the Way of Life,” to find communities with potential and readiness in all tourism dimensions. Ban Khiriwong was chosen as one of the 10 top exemplary communities in 2025 for its strength in preserving and developing cultural capital to create social value. It serves as a key mechanism to honor and promote communities with potential in creative cultural tourism, raising their national and international profiles, while stimulating community-based tourism and creating economic opportunities for local residents.
Ban Khiriwong, one of the top exemplary communities, is an ancient village nestled in a valley near the foothills of Khao Luang mountain. Originally named “Ban Khun Nam” because it is a headwater area, it was later renamed “Khiriwong” meaning a village surrounded by mountains with a stream flowing through it, lush green scenery year-round. It is recognized as one of the areas with the purest air and good ozone quality in Southern Thailand, ideal for nature retreats.
The community's key attractions include abundant natural resources such as mountains, forests, and natural water sources like Wang Mai Pak waterfall and Nan Hin Tha Ha, suitable for swimming and relaxing in nature. It also features important check-in points such as the Khiriwong Bridge and the Khiriwong suspension bridge, popular landmarks among tourists.
In terms of lifestyle, the community firmly preserves its original identity, especially through the “Suan Somrom” orchard practice, which involves growing diverse plants together in one area, such as rambutan, mangosteen, durian, stink bean, and local herbs, reflecting wisdom in living harmoniously with nature. They also hold a Sunday morning alms-giving ritual on Khiriwong Bridge, a simple and beautiful way of life.
At the same time, the community has turned past flood crises into economic opportunities by developing “community occupational groups” that transform local natural materials into creative products such as naturally dyed tie-dye and batik fabrics, eco-print textile printing, seed crafts, herbal products and cosmetics from mangosteen, and fruit processing from Suan Somrom orchards. These handmade items are unique and offered to tourists through workshop activities. . (Eco printing) . (Continuation of crafts and products description)
Additionally, the community offers various tourism activities including village walks, swimming in natural rock pools, riverside relaxation, cycling around the community, and eco-trails in Khao Luang mountain. Visitors can also enjoy birdwatching and learning about the headwater ecosystem. Accommodation options include homestays, small resorts, and riverside camping grounds that emphasize closeness to nature.
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