Thailand promotes agri-tourism

BANGKOK, July 6 (TNA) - The Thai government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, promotes agri-tourism, planning to pioneer it in four provinces. A working group of the minister of agriculture and cooperatives resolved at its meeting in Bangkok on Monday to start agri-tourism in four Thai provinces, including Phetchabun, Buri Ram, Nakhon Pathom and Nakhon Si Thammarat, aimed to promote quality farm products and distribute incomes to local communities. Anant Phusitthikul, who chairs the working group, told journalists after the meeting that the four selected Thai provinces possess outstanding agricultural resources which can be introduced to international tourists. Based on the plan, Anant revealed, local communities will be taught to provide home-stay or one-day trip services to international visitors so that they will have opportunities to sell quality goods and services of their localities, including farm products, and even operate restaurants. Anant noted that the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports will help prepare local communities to welcome international tourists. According to the official, the plan will later be expanded to nine other Thai provinces, including Lampang, Nan, Samut Songkhram, Ratchaburi, Chanthaburi, Trat, Loei, Chumphon and Trang, as well as to the remaining Thai provinces nationwide by the end of this year. (TNA)