"Rice" to the challenge in Thailand

E RIC

e g n e l l sed a a h b e c g d owle nce in n k d to thhe n a emed xperie

D N A L I A TH

ee ly-t v i e t v n i t e a c e n r ac and i g n i t e e m

introduction According to the American Express Meetings and Events 2017 Global Forecast, it is estimated that one-fifth of meeting owners are looking at ways to appeal to millennials, who now make up a significant and growing portion of attendees. To tap into this important segment, the CWT Meetings and Events 2017 forecast suggests that planners should weave creative and inspirational themes into their events.

The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) curated a fascinating theme for meeting and incentive (M&I) planners that will deepen the knowledge component of their events and bind the core values of Thai culture and its people – this theme is rice.

The Impact of Rice

Culture & People Rice is the essence of life in Thailand. According to one of Thailand’s MICE industry legends and Managing Director of Destination Asia (Thailand), Pornthip (Addie) Hirunkate, besides being a staple food, rice is a central pillar in all aspects of Thai, and for all parts of society; and the muse for cultural offerings of all kinds, from folk songs to paintings and sculptures.

Rice is the only crop that Thai farmers seek “blessings” upon at every stage of its life cycle, from planting to harvesting. These range from rituals for rain, to rituals for protecting the crop and rituals for an abundant harvest.

The various rice rituals are closely related to both the communal way of life and traditional religious beliefs. They emphasize the need to live together in harmony and to be mutually supportive.

As rice is the root of Thai culture, organisers can now leverage the strength of this theme into their business events and activity designs, whether it is from a sustainability or culinary creativity points of view. Delegates will enjoy these curated experiences that are unique to Thailand.

“Thailand exceeds the expectations of even the most discerning travellers.

In its rich diversity of sights and sounds, supported by a highly evolved tourism offering accommodating over 30 million visitors annually, Thailand is remarkable in its ability to fulfil the travel promise.”

Pornthip (Addie) Hirunkate Managing Director Destination Asia (Thailand)

The Impact of Rice

Royal Project Destinations One of the best-known development theories suggested by His Majesty, the late King Bhumibol - who was affectionately known as the “Agriculture King” - was “The New Theory”. This theory has been tried and tested to aim at allowing farmers to become selfsufficient and self-reliant.

According to the Office of the Royal Development Projects, Thailand has 4,685 projects – many of which are open to the public. His Majesty, the late King Bhumibol, established projects within the grounds of Chitralada Royal Villa in Bangkok, to conduct experiments, to serve as models, and to operate on a non-profit basis which would benefit Thai farmers as well as strengthen the sustainable development of Thailand.

“An educational visit to the Royal Chitralada Projects will give participants an understanding of how rice farming became one of the foundations of socioeconomic food stability for the Thai nation,” said Max Jantasuwan, Group Managing Director of Events Travel Asia.

M&I participants can also visit a royal project in Chiang Mai, another one of five MICE cities in Thailand, to further understand the benefits of other agriculture projects. The Nong Hoi Royal Project Development Centre gives specific insight into how such projects helped to stop opium cultivation, deforestation and the “slash and burn” cultivation methods.

The importance of rice and its culture must remain with the Thai people. Thus, it is very important that all Thais - young and old alike - should be made aware of the history of rice and its impact on the country’s economy, political, social, culture and tradition and how it has become an integral part of our lives and of the societies in which we live.

Dr. Kwanchai A. Gomez Board Member and Secretary Thai Rice Foundation

An educational visit to the Royal Chitralada Projects will give participants an understanding of how rice farming became one of the foundations of socioeconomic food stability for the Thai nation.

Max Jantasuwan

Group Managing Director Events Travel Asia

The Impact of Rice

meaningful team activities When it comes to activities inspired by the rich heritage of rice, the possibilities are endless. Whichever activity you choose, be sure to heighten the buzz on social media and get participants excited by sharing photos using dedicated hashtags like #GetItRice, #RiceToTheChallenge and #RiceAbove that play on the homophonic sound of the word “rise�.

A re-enactment of meaningful festivals Work with a local production company to choreograph the wonderful Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival from Isan, the northeast region of Thailand.

The festival is typically held in the month of May, and it is a ritual to release colourfully decorated Bang Fai rockets asking for plentiful rainfall for rice cultivation. These rockets are mounted on vehicles and paraded around a designated area of street food and local fanfare.

Perfect for groups with an exclusive resort buy out, work with the resort to allow the re-enactment of the Loy Krathong Festival usually held in November; on the first full moon after the rice harvest. After the gala dinner, participants can make a wish and release floating candles onto the resort swimming pool to thank the water spirit for its water provision through the growing season.

Loy Krathong festival

A pop-up challenge worthy of a MasterChef Using rice as a core ingredient along with other locally sourced ingredients, participants with a culinary flair pair up with professional chefs to create two sustainable dishes inspired by the themes of the meeting or incentive. The participants must create a meaningful story that supports the dishes and decide how much they would sell it for at a pop-up food bazaar created for the rest of the meeting or incentive participants.

A panel of judges would combine the results of their favourite dishes with the dish that sold most to name the number one pop-up MasterChef team. To foster a meaningful connection with the local and underprivileged community, they could also be invited to enjoy the dishes purchased for them by the participants.

A day in the life of a rice farmer This is a great activity for active participants who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. In exclusive groups, set participants a rice planting or harvesting challenge (depending on the time of the year). Amp up the challenge using blindfolds and have other team members giving planting instructions using basic Thai language. After the planting exercise, every group is to visit a different farmer’s home to learn about the impact of rice farming and share their host’s story during an afternoon enjoying treats made from rice.

A lesson in give and take Designed for early risers, teams of participants leave their phones in their rooms and kick start their day by giving alms to the monks at sunrise. Rice is a key ingredient in alms-giving.

From there, participants can take in the fresh morning breeze and the warmth of the sun on their face with two choices of class: yoga and mindfulness exercise.

Post class, participants will be treated to a healthy and nourishing light breakfast before venturing to the next meeting session or activity.

The I En mpa ct Su vir st on of Ric ain m e e

ab nt ilit & y

Meeting and incentive planners are now striving to fulfil participants’ expectations by placing a strong emphasis on sustainability when designing their events. To create a climate neutral or climate friendly event by offsetting remaining greenhouse gas emissions, planners can buy carbon offset credits to fund projects like the Siam Cement Biomass listed on www.climatefriendly.com. The Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO) has introduced the Thailand Carbon Offsetting Program (TCOP) and a selection of carbon offset credit options are available on www.carbonmarket.tgo.or.th According to biomass energy specialists at BioEnergy Consult, biomass energy systems offer significant possibilities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to their immense potential to replace fossil fuels in energy production. Biomass resources can play a major role in reducing the reliance on fossil fuels by making use of thermo-chemical conversion technologies.

Not only can the rice husk and rice straw be used as biomass fuel in small boilers, they can also be an effective source of energy for power plants.

Rice Straw 290KG 1 ton of rice paddy produces 290 kg of rice straw

1 ton of rice paddy produces 220 kg of rice husk

of rice straw can produce approximately 100 kWh (kilowatt-hour) of electricity, which is enough for one 40-watt light bulb to operate continuously for 2,500 hours.

Rice HUSK 220KG of rice husk is equivalent to approximately 150 kWh of electricity, which is enough for one 40-watt light bulb to operate continuously for 2,500 hours

T OU? B A S K THDI HUS W NOW AN K YOEUSTRA D I D RIC

Farm to functions In 2016, TCEB was the world’s first convention and exhibition bureau to solidify a publicprivate partnership between the Amnatcharoen Satjatham Rice Community Enterprise Network, Thailand’s key industry associations and several hotels and venues called Farm to Functions.

Created by TCEB’s MICE Capabilities Development Department, Farm to Functions strategically empowers a sustainable direct food supply between farmers and participating business events venues, hence increasing the income of local farmers - while bringing down their production costs. This partnership aims to generate a minimum order of 300 tons of organic rice worth over THB 12 million (USD 340,000) in income for 300 farming families per year.

This initiative encourages Thai farmers to turn to planting and cultivating methods that have a lower impact on the environment. It also has true socioeconomic impact that underpins CSR activities of events held in Thailand through the following benefits: Driving the economy: MICE operators will be supported to increase their competitiveness and reduce the cost of administration, while farmers and communities earn a regular stream of income.

Driving the community responsibility: the private sector is engaged in social responsibility, helping MICE travellers to have access to locally produced healthy food; the environment is less affected with farmers adopting more organic methods.

The impact of Rice

World-renowned Cuisine One of the most common Thai greetings is “kin kao laew reu young” (literally translates to “have you eaten rice yet?”). In fact, there are many recipes for rice; from savoury fried rice and sticky rice to colourful, sweet and fragrant desserts.

Driving the community engagement: the income distribution is started from the MICE industry to communities, the farmers are given an opportunity to learn more about business practice, and the communities step up their role in driving the economy of the country, resulting in reciprocal sustainability benefits throughout the supply and chain.

The founding partners of the Farm to Functions programme are: • Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) • Thailand Incentive and Convention Association (TICA) • Thai Hotels Association (THA) • Thai Exhibition Association (TEA) • Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) • I MPACT Arena and IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre • Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) • Plaza Athenee Bangkok, A Royal Meridien Hotel • The Sukosol Bangkok Hotel • The Twin Towers Hotel Bangkok • Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel • Sampran Riverside Hotel • Rama Gardens Bangkok Hotel

Chef Purida Theeraphong of Iron Chef Thailand fame and multiaward winning restaurant OSHA Bangkok, fondly shares that one of her favourite rice dish is the Osha Fried Rice as it stirs up fond memories of her childhood and her beloved grandmother.

The Osha Fried Rice Recipe Part One: Creating the Sweet & Spiced Pineapple Sauce

Part TWO: Making the Osha Fried Rice

Directions: Mix 500g of diced pineapple, 20ml of honey, one cinnamon stick, one piece of star anise into a pot and place the pot of ingredients on medium to high heat for 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise once the fragrance of these ingredients are to your satisfaction.

Key ingredients: • One cup of steamed rice • The sweet and spiced pineapple sauce created earlier • 80g of medium sized prawns and 10g of dried shredded pork • 30g of cashew nuts and 30g of peas • One whole egg • 5g of salt, 5g of pepper and a touch of sugar • 20ml of rice bran oil

Directions: • Place the wok on high heat.

• Once heated, add the oil into the wok.

• Soon after, crack the egg into the wok, stir and break up the egg.

• When the egg is nearly cooked, add the rice into the wok and stir-fry with the egg.

• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir-fry over medium to high heat. Ensure to mix the ingredients well.

• Transfer the fried rice to a serving dish and garnish the dish with some spring onions, sliced cucumber, pineapple and tomatoes to your personality.

The impact of Rice

Wellness Many planners and delegates take the opportunity to experience the benefits of Thai wellness treatments. Renowned wellness and luxury brand, Pañpuri, promotes 100 per cent natural and organic wellness lifestyle through retail stores in numerous parts of Thailand and well-designed spas like the one located in heart of Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong district.

According to the company, rice is also enriched with vitamins and minerals which are essential for the body, flawless skin and strong hair. Rice is fortified with complex carbohydrates which is a good source of energy and can be turned into various products such as flour, bran oil, syrup and milk. One of their signature scents is made of rice bran.

Enjoy a traditional massage with the aromatic Thai Pañpuri Original Hot Compress made from rice, herbs and spices. If you are looking for a souvenir, the Siamese Water Uplifting body cream is made of antioxidant-rich pomegranate and red rice extracts with an uplifting blend of jasmine, certified organic ylang-ylang and peppermint oils, may be the perfect gift.

“Thailand CONNECT… Your Vibrant Journey to Business Success” is the current campaign supported by packages for events during the application period – October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 and travel period – October 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017.

Large groups with more than 2,000 delegates staying for more than three nights can now access the Thailand Big Thanks package. Two special support packages have been created for smaller groups with more than 200 participates. The Meet Double Cities package is perfect if your group is staying at least four nights for more than one destination in Thailand. If your package has a sustainability focus, then the Meet Sustainable Way package is perfect for you when you host a CSR activity anywhere or an event in a TMVS (Thailand MICE Venue Standard) certified venue. The full list of TMVS venues is available on www.micestandards.org.

Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)

Siam Piwat Tower Building, 25th & 26th Fl., 989 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: +66 2 694 6000 Fax: +66 2 658 1411 Email: info@tceb.or.th Website: www.businesseventsthailand.com ThailandCVB BusinessEventsTH BusinessEventsTH BusinessEventsTH BusinessEventsThailand BusinessEventsThailand BusinessEventsThailand

www.bizeventsasia.com Produced by Biz Events Asia and Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)