Community Garden Projects for Food Security in the Thai Gulf
Community Garden Projects were started on Koh Phangan and Koh Samui during 2020 as a response to the covid19 crisis on the Gulf Islands resulting from the massive decrease in tourism. The islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are primarily reliant on tourism, some 80% of each islands economies being supported in this way. With the border closures in Thailand during 2020, and the reduction in internal travel in the Kingdom, a high proportion of local businesses were forced to close their doors, or work reduced hours, resulting in high levels of unemployment of both local Thai and migrant workers. Whilst initial emergency responses focused on food aid, strategies were developed by local groups to start community gardens with the aim of both providing medium term food and to engage local people in community action.
We support several Gardens, including Phangan Community Garden, Phangan Health Volunteer Garden, Informal School Garden, Green Phangan Garden Group, Raitiaviset Organic Farm and Samui Community Garden with a combination of informed input, financial aid via our MicroGrant awards, and with the provision of EcoThailand Volunteers working at the Gardens.
Looking forward, several of the Gardens are slowly moving into new areas including donations for food to support further Garden development, as teaching centres and as medical thai herbalism facilities, community tourism, ecotourism and agrotourism enterprises.
A few dollars, pounds, euros or baht will buy seeds, 10 dollars will buy a tropical fruit tree, 20 dollars will buy irrigation and drainage pipe, 50 dollars will buy essential tools for the community, 100 will buy equipment for a community coffee shop for tourists, and 250 dollars a fridge or freezer, 1000 dollars enable basic workshop facilities … any donation helps the local community to transition the garden towards a longer term sustainable future.
If you have a Thai bank account with QR e-payments … just scan our Thai Banking QR Code.
International Payment Options (partnered with Intrepid Foundation with zero fees)
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International Payment Options (partnered with Give2Asia, USA based individuals may make tax exempt 501 (c)(3) payments.)
By Direct Bank Transfer
Payments can also be made directly into our bank account by bank transfer, our paying in banking details are:
Account name holder: ecothailand : มูลนิธินิเวศวิถี
Krungsri bank (Bank of Ayudhya, Swift code AYUDTHBK)
Account: 635-1-12020-4
With many thanks, from The EcoThailand Team.
As a registered charity we are subject to, and compliant with, annual independent financial audits, accounting, employment and immigration law. All EcoThailand Directors work on a voluntary unpaid basis so maximising funding for our projects.
Community Gardens Gallery:
Our thanks to Phangan Community Garden members for use of photographs and Community Garden with Ross Silcocks and Entirety Labs for the video.