The Ministry of Culture invites you to experience the culture on a One Day Trip, ride an ancient tricycle, explore historical routes, experience the way of life of the Ban Tha Chalom community, Samut Sakhon, see Thai-Chinese art, pay homage to the 100-year-old legendary shrine, “Visit Tha 3, admire art near Bangkok,” taste local food, “Tha Chalom fish dumplings – Thub Yi Son fish,” and take photos of cool street art on the wall, stimulating the economy and generating income for the community.
Mrs. Yupha Thaweewattanakitborworn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of the ultimate model community ‘Visit the Community, See the Way of Life’, a virtuous community of Ban Tha Chalom, attended by Mr. Chaiwat Tuntakit, Deputy Governor of Samut Sakhon Province, Dr. Suwanchai Saengsuk-iam, community leader, Chairman of Samut Sakhon City Development Company Limited (Social Enterprise), President of Samut Sakhon Provincial Administrative Organization, Mayor of Samut Sakhon
City Municipality, President of Samut Sakhon Provincial Cultural Council, heads of government agencies, cultural organizations of the central and eastern regions, private sector networks, and residents of the virtuous community of Ban Tha Chalom, at the area along the embankment of Wat Suthiwat Wararam (Wat Chong Lom), Tambon Tha Chalom, Amphoe Mueang Samut Sakhon, Samut Sakhon Province. Activities in the event include demonstrations and sales of cultural wisdom products, cultural performances, lion and dragon dances, exhibitions of community stories, and a lively cultural square for creating happiness.
Mrs. Yupha said that she would like to congratulate the moral community of Ban Tha Chalom, Samut Sakhon Province, which has been selected as one of the 10 best model communities of ‘Visit the Community, See the Way’ in 2023. It is a community with ‘Sufficiency Economy’ leaders and a strong driving network. The people in the community are happy, united, and conserve, continue, maintain, and develop local wisdo
m. They have potential, quality, and are ready for tourism in all dimensions. They can also extend it to sustainable cultural tourism. For the ‘Visit the Community, See the Way’ project, the Ministry of Culture (MOC) has been driving the government’s policy to strengthen the grassroots economy of the community by using the cultural capital in the community to develop and expand it to create jobs, generate income, and create value and added economic value. Since 2021, there have been 40 virtuous communities that have been selected as the best model communities of ‘Visit the Community, See the Way’. This is a selection of virtuous communities that embrace the philosophy of the sufficiency economy, driven by the power of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, with potential and readiness for tourism in all dimensions nationwide. They are also ready to publicize and promote it to both Thai and foreign tourists who visit. To study and learn about the identity, way of life, culture and traditions of the community.
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e Deputy Governor of Samut Sakhon Province also said that from the slogan of Samut Sakhon Province, ‘Fishing City, Factory Forest, Agricultural Square, Historical Zone’, it shows the abundance, diversity and distinctive identity of Samut Sakhon Province. It is a destination for industrial investment. The value of the provincial product per capita is ranked in the top 10 of the country. There are also high-quality agricultural products such as Ban Phaeo sweet coconuts, longans, and gourami fish. There are also beautiful cultural tourist attractions, both for One Day Trip and overnight stays, such as Phan Thai Norasing Shrine, Saphan Daeng Bridge, Wat Yai Chom Prasat, Samut Sakhon City Pillar Shrine, Wat Lak Si Rat Samoson and Tha Chalom. At present, Tha Chalom is a city with economic diversity, including markets, shipbuilding businesses, industrial factories, shops and valuable cultural capital in terms of lifestyle, history, culture, traditions, local food such as Tha Chalom fish dumplings, pla yison thup, Na
m Liang Hun, etc. Natural resources, including beautiful and distinctive tourist attractions, ancient tricycles and community trams ready to serve tourists. Therefore, we welcome everyone to visit and experience the way of life of the Tha Chalom community with great pleasure and willingness.
The community leader said that he was very proud to receive the award for the 10 best model communities of ‘Visit the Community, See the Way of Life’ in 2023. ‘Tha Chalom’ is the first sanitary district in Thailand, a fishing community, and a dragon house. According to historical stories, it is a prosperous port city since the middle Ayutthaya period. With a suitable location, the Tha Chin River surrounds the land like a big dragon, nurturing people from generation to generation under a multicultural society with a variety of races and religions. In addition, this community has conserved and continued its traditions and cultures. The annual Tha Chalom Sanitary District March 18th Festival, the 9 Shrines Worship Festival,
the Vegetarian Festival, and the Leng Kia Chu Chinese New Year Festival, Continuing the Legend of the Dragon, is held in accordance with the slogan of the virtuous community of Ban Tha Chalom, ‘Visit the 3 Thas, See Art Near Bangkok.’
Tha Chalom is a prosperous port city since the middle Ayutthaya period. The Tha Chin River surrounds the land like a big dragon and there are many Chalom boats parked in rows. This is the origin of the name of the Tha Chalom community, which is the first sanitary district of Thailand, the home of dragons and the home of fishing communities, as stated in the slogan of the virtuous community of Ban Tha Chalom, ‘Visit the 3 piers, see art near the capital.’ This community is a multicultural society with a variety of races and religions for hundreds of years, reflected in tourist attractions and activities, such as Wat Laem Suwannaram, Wat Suthiwat Wararam, the Church of St. Anne and many shrines that are more than 100 years old, located on Thanon Thawi. The community organizes the
‘Tradition of Worshiping the 9 Shrines, Vegetarian Festival’ and ‘Chinese New Year Festival, Leng Kia Chu, Continuing the Legend of the Dragon’ every year. Tourists can explore historical routes and experience the culture and way of life of the Tha Chalom people by taking the community tram. Ancient tricycles or bicycles, visit Thai-Chinese art at various temples and shrines, as well as more than 100 contemporary street art paintings on the walls and manhole covers around the community. In addition, there are 2 homestays providing accommodation: Baan Ruea Udom Homestay and Sukhsamut Homestay, as well as local food with original flavors, such as Tha Chalom fish dumplings, pounded pla yison, traditional fresh flour noodles, dried shrimp pad thai, traditional Khanom Thian, and Liang Hun soup, etc., to make you addicted. Before returning, don’t miss shopping for the community’s cultural products, such as a replica of a Tha Chalom fishing boat and processed seafood, which are made from ingredients within the commu
nity. Interested parties can inquire for more information at the Baan Tha Chalom Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BaanThachalom) and the Maha Samut Sakhon Website (www.visitsk.org).
Source: Thai News Agency