Ms. Sujaree Picha, Director of the Office of Agricultural Economics 1, Chiang Mai (OAE1), Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), revealed that Chiang Mai Province is one of Thailand's leading agricultural tourism destinations. Its rich natural resources contribute to the potential for producing high-quality agricultural products, including vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamental plants, and a variety of cash crops. This development has led to the development of unique agricultural tourism destinations. One successful example is the Ban Muang Kham Community-Based Agricultural Tourism Enterprise in Pong Yang Subdistrict, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province. This community-based enterprise, focused on organic agricultural production and sustainable tourism in a low-carbon community format, won the Thailand Tourism Awards 2025 in the Sustainability category. The award was organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on September 5, 2025.

This follows the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' policy of upgrading high-value agricultural products and services. and environmentally conscious agricultural resource management. Therefore, ONESQA Region 1 has studied the development of organic agriculture for agricultural tourism in 2025 by visiting the Ban Muang Kham Agricultural Tourism Community Enterprise to study the model and develop guidelines for organic agriculture development for agricultural tourism. Ms. Nattachan Chairat, the enterprise president, was interviewed, who stated that Ban Muang Kham is a community over 200 years old with strong roots in traditional agriculture and culture. In 2007, it began agroforestry farming and established Pong Yang Farm, and expanded into agricultural tourism with the community before officially registering as a community enterprise in 2019. Currently, the enterprise has 30 members and over 30 rai of mixed organic farming area, producing vegetables and fruits such as kale, tomatoes, macadamia nuts, and avocados. It has been certified by Participatory Organic Standards (PGS). Regarding the production and market situation of the enterprise's organic products, farmers rotate organic fruit and vegetables throughout the year, resulting in approximately 2,000 kilograms of produce being distributed to the market every month. The selling price ranges from 50 to 100 baht per kilogram. Distribution channels include local hotels and restaurants (30%), regular retail and wholesale customers (40%), booths (15%), and cooking for tourists (15%). The production and distribution of organic agricultural products generates an average monthly income of 13,000 baht.

The enterprise operates in accordance with organic farming development guidelines, developing homestays certified under the ASEAN Homestay Standard. This initiative promotes participatory tourism, generating income for local communities through sharing their way of life, culture, and agricultural knowledge. Local tourism practices adhere to the concept of "Low Carbon Travel and Zero Waste," emphasizing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and waste to zero. Examples include traveling using community buses, eating organic produce, using clean energy at the accommodation, and processing food waste into compost. Pong Yang Farm is a center for organic agricultural activities and learning centers. There are two types of tour programs: a half-day program for 750 baht per person and a 2-day, 1-night program for 1,800 baht per person. Tourists will participate in workshops and knowledge sharing activities, such as visiting an organic vegetable plot, visiting a Sufficiency Economy Learning Center, cooking organic produce, making macadamia necklaces, weaving, and making natural beeswax candles. Each year, approximately 2,000 tourists participate in activities, learning about organic farming, visiting a cafe, or staying at a homestay during concerts. The combined revenue from the production and sale of organic agricultural products, agricultural tourism, and employment in the community generates at least 6.1 million baht in economic value annually.

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