On 13 December 2023, Mrs. Ureerat Chareontoh, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) led H.E. Mr. Hun Saroeun, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Thailand together with Cambodian Embassy’s staffs to visit a model community of OTOP Nawatwithi (Community Based Tourism) in Plai Bang, Bang Kruai District, Nonthaburi Province. This visit was also warmly welcomed by Mrs. Raweepan Kaewpiangpen, Vice Governor of Nonthaburi Province.

The purpose of this visit is to open an opportunity for the Cambodian side to learn Thailand’s best practices and experiences on Community Development, Community Based Tourism (CBT), and the development of One Tambon One Product (OTOP) products. The outcome of this visit can be adapted to the Cambodia’s One Village One Product (OVOP) Project which supports job creation and strengthen the local economy in community.

The OTOP Nawatwithi Community in Plai Bang, Bang Kruai District, Nonthaburi has been awarded by Nonthaburi Province as the model community of OTOP Nawatwithi which is an approach of Community Based Tourism through the integration of Innovation (in Thai means Nawattagam) + Local Lifestyle (in Thai means WithiCheevit). Their journey has been started from the formation of local people in the community around 20 – 30 persons in cooperation with the office of Community Development Department in Nonthaburi, Ministry of Interior to build this community as the OTOP Nawatwithi Community through bringing their local outstanding resourses to transform as a tourism destination which is not far away from Bangkok. The Plai Bang community’s great resourses are; (1) cannal which can organize the boat tour for the tourists; (2) the products from stingless bee which have properties in food and medical; and (3) citronella grass and stevia which can be developed to sugar substitute products such as syrup.

Furthermore, this visit can be applied Plai Bang’s best practices and experiences on the community development to TICA’s project on The Establishment of One Village One Product (OVOP) Regional Promoting Center in Kampong Cham Province, implemented under the 3-year Development Cooperation Program between Thailand and Cambodia.