Sampran wins PATA award

 Sampran Riverside has won the PATA Grand Award 2013 mainly for its leadership in presenting organic agriculture and sustainable tourism features.

The property’s chairperson, Suchada Yuvaboon, said Sampran Riverside won the PATA Grand Award 2013 in the category of Heritage and Culture, becoming the country’s first tourism private entity in a decade to win in this category at the Pacific Asia Travel Association annual awards.

The award presentation ceremony will be held at PATA Travel Mart in China mid this month.

Sampran Riverside features an eco-cultural destination programme and sustainable tourism and cultural values, according to the PATA selection committee’s comments in a release.

“Sampran Riverside always supports and promotes the local community in a sustainable way, also lending both know-how and resources through art and Thai cultural heritage to local farmers and tourists.”

Managing director, Arrut Navaraj, said the property will continue to promote traditional aspects of Thai life along the river, but relevant activities and services will be updated and adjusted to the demand of a modern market.

“With this concept we will focus on reviving agricultural culture and supporting a policy prohibiting the use of chemicals that lead to the destruction of the environment.”

He added: “We aim to expand this operation, turning the entire Sampran district into an organic community and an eco-cultural and health-related destination in the future.”

With support from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, Sampran Riverside also set up Sookjai Organic Agriculture Development Centre, which regularly holds agricultural training and has six academics on duty to provide advice and to meet with local farmers on a regular basis.

Sampran Riverside is the former Rose Garden Resort, located 60 km west of Bangkok on national highway 4 near Nakhon Chaisri.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews