9 Tam Roy Doi Kham Charity Run 2018
Doi Kham Food Products Co., Ltd.
INTRODUCTION
Fang District in Chiang Mai Province, is a suburban area being besieged by poverty, economic decline and other economic problems. However, Fang District is full of beautiful scenery and story, longing for people to learn about. Fang is home to the First Royal Factory (Fang), Chiang Mai and Yunnanese Chinese immigrants, who although consider themselves a Thai, still carryon their ancestor’s cultures.Doi Kham sought this opportunity to promote Fang’s heritage and tourism while raising money to promote the welfare of the people through a charity marathon. To be able to promote self-sustainability in hosting future events, Doi Kham invited local community to co-host “9 Tam Roy Doi Kham Charity Run 2018.” The number nine (9) is a homonym of the word step and symbolizes Doi Kham’s founder, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The whole phrase translates to “following Doi Kham’s step.”
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY
Every year Doi Kham surveys for new ventures to promote sustainability in communities surrounding the Royal Factories in further promoting tourism and generate business opportunities. Marathon, a major trend in Thailand, became an instrument used to attract and generate awareness for people to come to Fang.Doi Kham has invited local communities to co-host the event in order to elaborate how to host events and to be able to portray the authentic heritage of Fang District to participants. The two-day event was a mixture between a marathon and a cultural experience designed for participants to experience local culture as well as the Doi Kham’s story. The role of Doi Kham is to lead and fund the project in addition to mentor local communities. Fang District Officials were responsible to portray and represent local culture and coordinating with local communities.
ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT
9 Tam Roy Doi Kham Charity Run 2018 has left a heartfelt impression among participants. The event successfully raised over 770,000 Thai Baht (US$23,000), which were distributed to eight educational and medical institutions in Fang District. Furthermore, Fang local culture was widely advocated through participants and media coverage. Fang become more than a passageway but a destination among tourists. Fang locals gain more income from tourism apart from agriculture and become self-sustainable. However, the main goal was achieved towards the end 2019. Mae Ngon, a sub-district in Fang District approach Doi Kham for sponsorship of their own marathon inspired by 9 Tam Roy Doi Kham Charity Run 2018. Moreover, 9 Tam Roy Doi Kham has inspired other local activities such as weekly street food market.FUTURE DIRECTION
Doi Kham is committed to research innovative ways to support and develop local communities to ensure self-sustainability. Building strong foundation for local communities to be selfreliant is Doi Kham’s main goal. Instead of hosting another 9 Tam Roy Doi Kham event in communities surrounding the Fang District, Doi Kham aims to be a supporter who provides knowledge for local communities to sustainability. With the success of the first 9 Tam Roy Doi Kham Charity Run, Doi Kham has plans to adapt the model and host events in communities surrounding The Second Royal Factory (Mae Chan), Chiang Rai and The Third Royal Factory (Tao Ngoi), Sakhon Nakorn in the future.
Doi Kham was founded under His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s
vision to eliminate poverty and enhance the quality of life of people
living in the mountains in the North of Thailand. The Royal Factories
buy produce from local farmers in the area to develop and process
agricultural produce into high quality healthy products at fair prices.
The fruit processing business aimed to be a prototype of a social
business inspired by the King’s sustainability philosophy that would
strengthen and develop communities in order to enhance quality of
life in a sustainable manner.
