By HWPL
From December 9th to 12th, in the southern region of Thailand, an ‘Eco Project Briefing’ organized by the international peace organization HWPL took place. The purpose of the briefing was to improve the regional image of Pattani in the southern region of Thailand as a symbol of peace and to activate tourism businesses to achieve sustainable peace through the HWPL Eco Project. The briefing took place on December 9th at 2:00 PM at the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center (SBPAC) and on December 12th at 2:00 PM at the Pattani Provincial Hall. During this period, various stakeholders attended the briefing, including SBPAC, the Governor of Pattani Province, the Provincial Tourism Authority, Pattani Islamic Council and Yala Islamic Council, the Association Heads of Civil Society Organizations (CSO), as well as leaders of villages, schools, hospitals, and others. Discussions were held regarding the selection of the Eco Project area and related matters. The ‘Deep South’ region of Thailand has a painful history, but recent efforts by the Thai government, including the partial lifting of martial law and emergency decrees issued in 2005, culminated in the passage of a resolution in October 2023.
In November 2023, the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia met at the Thailand-Southern Border Checkpoint, fostering a peaceful atmosphere for discussions on measures to ease tensions in the region and promote tourism. Despite these efforts, the area, still labeled as a ‘conflict zone,’ has not garnered sufficient attention as a tourist destination, despite its natural beauty and diverse cultural heritage. In relation to this, HWPL introduced an image enhancement roadmap aimed at activating tourism and promoting stability and development in the local community to achieve sustainable peace. The project includes environmental beautification volunteer activities scheduled for early next year, a promotional video competition, and a TikTok challenge. Chakraphan, the representative of SBPAC, emphasized the groundbreaking fact that the region brings together diverse individuals from three layers—citizens, civil organizations, and local government. He expressed particular joy at the involvement of international organizations. The Governor of Pattani, Patimoh, also expressed expectations that through this project, citizens would achieve economic independence, and a culture of peace would spread. He instructed the Provincial Tourism Authority to actively participate in and collaborate on the project. The project, currently in the process of forming a committee, is expected to undergo a month-long preparation immediately upon the committee’s establishment to facilitate the actual implementation of the project in the village early next year. Following this project, HWPL plans to continue its ongoing collaboration with local communities by initiating projects tailored to each region, not only in the Pattani area but also in other provinces of the ‘Deep South.
