About Ecoventure Thailand

Vision & Mission	Welcome to Ecoventure Thailand's lobby
History
Philosophy
In the Press
Board of Directors
Department Email Addresses
Financial Functions

Vision and Mission

Ecoventure Thailand is the product of 3 organizations with a shared vision to benefit the disadvantaged communities and preserve the environment of Thailand via community-run eco-tourism operations. These three organizations are:

1. Eco-Tourism Activities Coordination (ETAC) - a for-profit marketing organization and consultancy bringing national and international tourists to eco-tourism villages.

Mission: To promote community-run tourism villages via traditional marketing and advertising media and to encourage global eco-tourism interest and knowledge through volunteering and international student programs.

Specifically, ETAC will play the following roles

Marketer
Trips (Culture/Nature/Adventure)
Local products (Ecoventure Thailand local shop)

Consultancy
Coordinate Training
Production development

Organizer
Volunteering Placement
International Exchange Program Application
Field Study/Internship/Research

2. Community Tourism Development Foundation (CTDF) - Promoting Volunteering for Community Tourism Development through providing Relative Knowledge and Skills in Tourism Business to Local People in order to bring in Communities' Better Life, and to build in the Awareness of Sustainable Natural Resources and Thai Heritage Conservation

Objectives

1. To act as the center for giving guidance for local people to run tourism business and all relative fields of business; local production showing the aesthetic of traditional arts.
2. To promote the assembly of Thai people from all walks of life to play the role of volunteer, working for public benefit without expecting any income in return, transferring knowledge and skills to train local people who are with full effort to develop their service in tourism business to meet with the international level, as well as to function their duties on all natural resources maintainance.
3. To act as the center for coordination on all promotion campaigns for reviving and reserving valueless Thai culture and all types of local wisdom.
4. Non-political related.

Operational procedures

1. Coordination on producing training curricular, workshops management, from those educational expertise who aim at the country benefit as a whole.
2. Coordination on transferring opportunities in toruism business to community level. See more details in Loan for Community Eco-tourism Equipment
3. Coordination on training knowledge and skills in tourism for local people who run the tourism industry, both on service management and relative products production for tourism, in order to gain more income that will result in their community members' better life; being self-sufficient,
free from gambling and drug addiction, as well as wellknown for the place worth a visit for the visitors all over the world. See more details in Training the Trainers, "Community-run Eco-tourism Village"
4. Coordination on running campaigns on building awareness and understanding among community members on all kinds of developing plan and marketing strategies to upgrade their business to maintain theinternational level quality.
5. Coordination of creating network among governmental sectors, educational institutes and non-govermental organisations for public benefit to promote ideas, plans or projects of adjustment, adaption, adoption and application of traditional local wisdom with modern technologies that
will pursue and sustainable maintain valueless country treasure to the new generation.

3. EFFCA - Background:

Years of environmental ignorance and neglect have rapidly depleted Thailand's natural resources, endangered its flora and fauna, and polluted its water and air. To reverse this trend toward environmental destruction, Thailand must launch a grass-roots campaign to educate its communities and motivate them to incorporate sustainable practices into their farming and daily life. Involving individuals from both
private and public sector organizations, we are launching this awareness campaign under the name of "Endangered Flora and Fauna Conservation Association (EFFCA)". EFFCA will promote conservation of herbs for traditional medicine, provide techniques to nurse endangered flora
and fauna, and encourage local communities to protect slow-growth trees and vegetation.

Objectives:

1. To promote and financially support local assemblies for conserving endangered flora and fauna.
2. To promote and financially support local assemblies for educating communities about herbs and plants for producing traditional medicine and treatment.
3. To be the center for collecting information about endangered species of flora and fauna to be used for educational services and to prevent extinction of those en-dangered species.
4. To cooperate with local villagers and private and public organizations to promote projects on environmental conservation and local wisdom preservation.
5. To be non-political.

Memberships:

1. Ordinary Members are from:
a) local assemblies of Thai citizen, ages 7 years up, for conserving endangered species of flora and fauna in their communities,
b) People with interest in activities on endangered species of flora and fauna, environmental and local wisdom conservations,
c) Any Type of Juristic person, under the Committee`s Approval.

2. Honorary Members are those with expertise in education, conservation, ecology, tourism, administration, etc.

Expected Results:

1. Community members will be inspired to pay attention to their environment and value the benefits of plants and animals to the world,
2. Community members, particularly youth or new generation, will be inspired to be aware of their natural treasure, will value the local wisdom, and will credit their ancestors' knowledge of nature
and the use of plants, animals or minerals for human consumption and medication,
3. Technical information about plants and animals in Thailand will be of great use for youth, students and general people as well as foreigners who are interested to learn about environment,
4. Thai people at community level will work more effectively as a team, assisting other members or other villages as network communities working on sustainable environmental maintenance throughout Thailand.

Samples of Endangered Species in Thailand:

- Pythons, Hamadryads, Wart Snakes, Banded Kraits, Cobras,Trimeresuruses
- Swallow, Hill Mynas, Hawks, Owls, Crows, Jungle Fowls, Peacocks
- Wild Buffaloes, Bisons, Schomburgks, Deers, Mountain Goats, Barking, Deers, Mules
- Rhinoceros
- Monkeys, Langurs, Gibbons, Flying Squirrels
- Elephants
- Dugonts
- Hornets, Fireflies, Water Bugs, Crickets, Green Beatles
- Crocodile, Chameleons, Monitor Lizards, Wall Geckoes
- Hares
- Bears,Porcupines, Mongooses, Musks
- Tigers, Wolfs, Wild Boars
- Etc.

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History

In 1994 by a Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr. Pongsan Pitakmahaket founded the Eco-tourism Human Resource Development Foundation Project (EHRDF Project).This project was formed to address the fact that traditional tourism operations were damaging the environment and exploiting impoverished villagers who lived at the tour destinations. EHRDF would work with local universities, governmental, and non-governmental organizations to provide communities with the initial training, funding, and marketing they needed to run their own eco-tourism operations. These operations would allow villages to be self-reliant and environmentally conscious. (Read more about this crisis and proposed solutions in UNESCAP's Press Release No. G/20/01: Globalization, Poverty to Bring on an Environmental Emergency, June 5, 2001)

In 1996, EHRDF started a cooperative in the province of Kanchanaburi, called Kanchanaburi Eco-tourism Cooperative Co., Ltd (KECC), through which villages were authorized to manage eco-tourism activities in the whole of Kanchanaburi province. In order to advertise their destinations, Mr. Pitakmahaket created a marketing company called Eco-tourism & Adventure Company Limited (ETAC1) EHRDF promoted eco-tourism and agrotourism projects, sparked academic interest through University of Innsbruck, Austria, and the Center for Ecological Economics at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, and further sparked international interest through the Regional Community Forestry Training Center (RECOFTC).

The economic collapse of Thailand in the late 1990s also saw the collapse of ETAC1. However, a smaller organization Eco-Tourism Activities Coordination (ETAC2) was formed during this time, and it took over the reponsibility of hosting international tourists from Intrepid Travel Pty. Ltd. and volunteers from Involvement Volunteers International. The operations continued successfully, and in 1999 the operations split into the 3 functional arms described above.

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Shared Philosophy

We are dedicated to providing opportunities for the disadvantaged people of Thailand to help themselves. We believe that patience and persistence in the face of adversity will alleviate poverty and develop sustainable, livable communities.

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In the Press

Grass-roots travel with a local touch
Bangkok Post, Horizons Feature 14 Nov, 96

Thailand - Eco-tourism in their backyard
TTG Asia, Dec 20, 1996

Thongphapum
Than-sethakit, Leisure, November 10-16, 1996

The Nation, , November , 1996

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Board of Directors

Eco-Tourism Activities Coordination Board

Manager: Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu

Advisory Board for Eco-tourism Activities Development

1. Governor, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
2. Director, TAT Northeastern Region 4 (Nakhonphanom-Sakhonnakhon-Mukdahan)
3. Director, Agro-Tourism Promotion Coordination Center

For Educational and Technical Training

1. Prof. Surachet Chetamas, Kasetsart University
2. Mr. Charoenporn Petkit, Kasetsat University
3. Ms. Nuchnard Ratanasuwongschai, Kasetsart University
4. Prof. Dr. Charit Tingsabadh, Chulalongkorn University
5. Ms. Nongnut Sritana-anand, Dhurakit Bundit University
6. M.R. Valaivatana Savasti-Xuto, Rangsit University
7. Prof. Dr. Naruemon Nantharak, Rajabhat Institute Suan Dusit
8. Prof. Kanchana Chitwatana, Rajabhat Institute Chankasem
9. Ms. Chollada Jungprasert, Siam University
10. Ms. Tipawan Poommanee, Ramkhamhaeng University

 

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Endangered Flora & Fauna Conservation Association Board

Founders

Mr. Pongsan Pitakmahaket
Director, TAT - North Eastern Region 4
(Nakhonpanom-Sakhon Nakhon-Mukdahan)

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charit Tingsabadh
Director, European Study Center - Chulalongkorn University
(Former Director to Centre for Ecological Economics)

Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu
Manager, Ecotourism Activities Co-ordination (ETAC)

Operational Board

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charit Tingsabadh, Chairman
Asst. Prof. Kanchana Chitwatana, Deputy Chairman 1
Mr. Jakrpakdi Meun-Artyim, Deputy Chaiman 2
Ms. Prapairat Khanavitaya, Treasurer
Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu, Secretary
Mr. Thanwat Suwinai, Registarian
Mr. Wirote Sitaprasertnand, Receptionist

Advisory Honorary Board

Four Star General Chalong Chotikakham, Sufficiency Agriculture
Mr. Pradech Payakvichien, Community-based Ecotourism Development
Mr. Pongsan Pitakmahaket, Community Eco-tourism
Prof. Surachet Chettamas, Natural Resource Conservation
Mr. Prapot Khanavitaya, Law
Ms. Suphannee Meethet, Enviromental Education
Dr. Benjalak Nampha, Enviromental Education
Dr. Prasit Leeraphan, Healthcare Education
Mr. Lemuel Skidmore, Healthcare Education
Ms. Dayna Yocum, Healthcare Education
Mr. Patanachatra Bhirapatana, Community Creativity
Director, the Department of National Parks, Resource Management
Director, the Department of Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wildlife Studies
Director, the Centre for Ecological Economics, Research & Development
Dr. Suyanee Vessabutr, Flora Conservation
Mr. Mongkol Prompayak, Alien Affairs
General Manager - The External Affairs, The Shell Company of Thailand Limited, Public Relation
Dr. Somchai Visetmongkhonchai, Eco-tourism Market
Mr. Carl Needham, Responsible Tour Development
Dr. Barry Kentish, International Education Exchange Programs
Ms. Erin Neel, Project Documentation

Project Representative Honorary Board

The Department of Territorial Defense (TDD)
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
The Office of national Primary Education Commission (ONPEC)
The Office of National Cultural Commission (ONCC)
The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden (QBG)

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Community Tourism Development Foundation

Founders

Mr. Pongsan Pitakmahaket
Director, TAT - North Eastern Region 4
(Nakhonpanom-Sakhon Nakhon-Mukdahan)

Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu
Manager, Ecotourism Activities Co-ordination (ETAC)

Advisory Board

Four Star General Chalong Chotikakham, Sufficiency Agriculture
Mr. PradechPayakvichien, Community-based Eco-tourism Development
Director, The Centre for Ecological Economics, Research & Development
Prof. Dr. Charit Tingsabadh, Research & Development
Prof. Dr. Surachet Chettamas, Natural Resource Conservation
Mr. Caroenport Petkit, Community Business & Ecotourism Administration
Ms. Nuchnard Ratanasuwongchai, Community Business & Ecotourism Administration
Ms. Nongnut Stitana-anand, Community Business & Ecotourism Administration
Mr. Valaivatana Savasti-Xuto, Community Business & Ecotourism Administration
Prof. Dr. Nareumon Nantharak, English for Communication & Interpreter
Prof. Kanchana Chitwatana, Adventure Tour & Survival Course
Mr. Prapot Khanavidhaya, Law
Dr. Prasit Leeraphan, Healthcare Education
Mr. Conrad Van Tever, Photography
Ms. Karin Conroy, Web Design
Ms. Emma Walace, Tourism Activities
Ms. Katherine Gallagher, Tourism Activites
Ms. Elizabeth Mullaney, Tourism Activites

Operational Board

Mr. Pongsan Pitakmahaket, Chairman
Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahaketu, Managing Director
Ms. Erin Neel, Director International Affairs

For Activities Development

1. Dr. Suyanee Vessabutr, Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden
2. Mr. Anucha Leksakuldilok, Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research
3. Mr. Panu Woramitr, TAT - Koh Samui
4. Mr. Suriyan Mulsan, Forestry Industry Organization (FIO)
5. Mr. Jirojn Thirapanich, Ranya Travel Agency Co., ltd.
6. Mr. Surasak Pholmafueng, Green Point Group
7. Mr. Jumphol Chadawat, P & O Regale Co., Ltd.
8. Mr. Carl Needham, Intrepid Travel Pty. Ltd., Australia
9. Mr. Winit Saeng-kaew, Open World Int`l Travel Service Co., Ltd.
10. Mr. Wirote Sitaprasertnand, Professional Tourist Guides Assoc.

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Department Email Addresses and Financial Functions

Vacations: <market@ecoventurethailand.com>
Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahketu
Community Tourism Support Ltd. Part
Savings Account #706-2-24415-6
Thai Farmer Bank Co., Ltd. (Public)
Ratburana Road
Bangkok 10140
Thailand
Swift Code "TFB TH BK"

Volunteering: <volunteer@ecoventurethailand.com>
Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahketu
Savings Account #101-7-31421-0
Bangkok Bank Co., Ltd. (Public), Head Office
333 Silom Road, Bangrak,
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
Swift Code "BKKBTHBK"

Education and Student Programs: <education@ecoventurethailand.com>
Ms. Mooknadda Pitakmahketu
Savings Account #101-7-47678-7 (different a/c from "volunteering")
Bangkok Bank Co., Ltd. (Public), Head Office
333 Silom Road, Bangrak,
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
Swift Code "BKKBTHBK"

Funds Supply: <ctdf@ecoventurethailand.com>

With Sympathy Fund: <conservation@ecoventurethailand.com>