Around 30 years ago, villagers formed the Ban Dong Bang Herb Grower Community Enterprise, partnering with the Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital (Herbal Medicine Hospital) to supply organic herbs. Expert educators from the hospital and government taught organic farming, ensuring purity through tests for soil and water. From 30 families, the group now comprises 12, relying on herbal plants as their primary income source. Guided by the hospital’s preferences, they cultivate accordingly.

These days the village not only supplies herbs to the hospital but also educates other villages on organic cultivation. Moreover, the village imparts insights into King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s sufficiency economy philosophy, encouraging the cultivation of diverse crops, economically viable trees, and herbs to ensure sustained and balanced income streams.

The Ban Dong Bang Organic Herbal Community Enterprise, located near the Cambodian border in Muang district, Prachin Buri, has a close partnership with a hospital that relies heavily on its herbs and plants for traditional medicine. In Thailand, a country that values and supports its herbal and traditional medicine practices, the enterprise’s commitment to maintaining the quality and consistency of its products is highly regarded.

Thailand encourages the preservation of these ancient practices, and sourcing from the Ban Dong Organic Herbal Community Enterprise plays a significant role in passing down traditional knowledge and wisdom to a new generation of growers and producers. By supporting this enterprise, the local customs and heritage related to herbal medicine thrive.

Moreover, the enterprise’s employment of local villagers keeps them connected to their families and communities, preventing migration to urban areas. The cultivation of herbs and plants in an environmentally friendly manner also contributes to preserving the local landscape’s integrity and reduces pollution, aligning with sustainable practices.