Lamai Homestay and Guesthouse, Thailand

Background to the 2007 Virgin Responsible Travel Awards.

Lamai Homestay offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience traditional Isan culture while helping to bring a much-needed income to the village and surrounding area. Situated in a small rice-producing village in North East Thailand, the homestay offers a selection of activities to visitors which are helping to revive local traditions and diversify economic opportunities available locally, while minimising potential negative environmental and socio-cultural impacts. The homestay also encourages visitors to explore other areas of Isan (the poorest and least visited region of Thailand) and to promote an alternative to the southern beaches and the northern hill-tribes tours.

Rice production is the main source of income for the village but fluctuating weather conditions means that that crop yields are often insufficient to support families. Some farmers have taken advantage of a government scheme to dig canals around the field perimeters to hold water but others have been reluctant to do so because it means potentially losing some cultivatable land. In 2006, Lamai Homestay agreed with one of the farmers to trial a scheme whereby the deep fertile banks of their canals could be used to create an organic vegetable garden. Jimmy bought a pump and some irrigation pipes and began experimenting with crops. By November 2006 they were successfully growing beans, squashes, salad leaves, chillies etc. Enthusiasm spread and now 4 families are growing sufficient quantities of vegetables to both supplement their own diet and generate additional income by selling surplus produce at Bua Yai market.

This scheme has successfully demonstrated to farmers that the benefits of developing a canal system can outweigh the perceived loss of cultivatable land. Farmers participating in this scheme are not only reducing the risk of poor rice yields (from irregular water supply) but generating on average an additional income of approximately 700 baht a week from the sale of vegetables. There is now interest from other families in digging canals around their fields and there is scope to extent the rotation of irrigation equipment to these families.

The maximum number of visitors at any one time is 6 (but mostly, two or three). On arrival, visitors are given information on the local culture and traditions and encouraged to respect them at all times. The homestay is situated at the edge of the village and all village visits are accompanied by Jimmy and Lamai. This not only ensures that visits are as unintrusive as possible but having an interpreter also allows both visitors and villagers to have a more meaningful exchange. Additionally, the activities packages available to visitors have not required villagers to significantly change their daily routines. Instead, they simply showcase what they are already doing, whether it's growing mulberry bushes, spinning or weaving, fishing or noodle making. These 'demonstrations' are also rotated between villagers, spreading income, and allowing time to continue with other work to ensure they do not become dependant on income from the homestay.

Of the 90 of so families in the village, approximately 20 are directly involved with the homestay. Some receive an income from craft demonstrations, some, e.g. the taxi driver, sell their services, while others sell their products e.g. silk, baskets. Since the initial set up of the homestay, all goods and services are also purchased locally, spreading income to villagers not directly involved in the homestay tours or activities. The homestay was built by local workmen, and all materials, including furniture, pottery, tiles etc. have been sourced locally. Craft items are also displayed and are for sale through the homestay for visitors who do not book any of the tours. The village school also benefits economically from visitor donations who provide books and other materials or contribute to the 'donations box', which has to date enabled the purchase of sports equipment and a microphone.

Environmental initiatives in place at the homestay include energy-saving bulbs, using grey water to irrigate the garden, collecting rainwater in water butts, reducing water flush in the toilets, composting kitchen waste, minimizing exterior lighting at night, recycling aluminium cans etc. Visitors are also advised on how to reduce their environmental impact e.g. turning off lights and the TV, stereo and fridge are communal (rather than in-room). All fresh produce is grown or sourced locally (reducing food miles) and other supplies are bought in bulk (to reduce packaging). The use of chemicals for cleaning is minimized, and the garden is organic. Visitors are encouraged to arrive by train or bus (rather than being collected by car from Bangkok) and bicycles are used for local tours. No plastics recycling facilities are available locally so all bottles are collected and distributed to farmers for use as fish traps.

The contribution to the conservation of the biodiversity of the local area is apparent in two situations -

The organic canal gardens have brought diversification to the borders of the rice fields, - growing indigenous crops for the first time in generations. These crops in turn have brought back wildlife - birds, butterflies, beetles, toads etc. which were not attracted by rice crops alone. The canals have also attracted water plants and water-living insects which in turn attract the appropriate wildlife, e.g. herons, waterfowl and amphibians.

The homestay garden has been developed year on year and the flowering trees and shrubs, together with a wide range of fruit trees, are encouraging more wildlife each year. It was described by one visitor as "an oasis in a desert of rice". Nest boxes, strategically placed around the property have all been occupied during the last two years.

The impact can be measured by the numbers of species identified: In November 2006, the following were observed and photographed in the garden:

Pigeon, owl, humming-bird, bat, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bees, cicadas, grasshoppers, mantids, beetles, tree frogs, toads, millipedes, stick insects, snakes, lizards and scorpions (see Picture Gallery)

Grey-slatted woodpecker
Zebra dove
Grey spotted finch
White-throated fantail

The impact of these developments on the village schoolchildren has been considerable. Before the homestay was built, there were few gardens and wildlife was minimal in the village. Lamai and Jimmy's daughter, eight year old Lizzie has spread her enthusiasm for identifying species to other children in the school and a new respect has been generated.

Ready for 2008 is a new traditional dwelling offering accommodation in twin beds. The dwelling has been built using blocks made of rice husks mixed with mud. All other materials used have been re-claimed (doors, windows) and all the work has been carried out by the village elders who have now taught younger men the skill of block-making. As a result, several families have started to build their own dwellings.

LAMAI HOMESTAY/GUESTHOUSE, THAILAND

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