Bangkok--3 Sep--TAT
TAT Leads Voluntourists in Fish-Release Activities at the Mae La Maharachanuson Park in Sing Buri; Locals to Enjoy Better Income as Selected Fishes are Economic Animals.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has continued its “Conserving the Motherland” project, which is set to promote conscience and become a voluntourism model. In the project’s latest activities, TAT engages voluntourists in the mission to restore the abundance of a main river by releasing fishes into the waterway.
On the morning of 1 September 2013, Mr. Sugree Sithivanich - the executive director of the TAT Advertising and Public Relations Department — presides over the “fish-release activities” at the Mae La Maharachanuson Park in Sing Buri’s Bang Rachan district. Among the more than 100 participants are famous actor Tanapop Leerattanabavorn (Phai — Hormones), popular actress Nattamon Pakpuwakarn, TAT staff, and many voluntourists. The chairman of the Sing Buri Provincial Administrative Organization, the mayor of Tambon Tubya Municipality, the chairman of Tambon Mae La Administrative Organization, and the chairman of the Tambon Bang Krabeu Administrative Organization show up to welcome the participants.
Mr. Sugree says, “Voluntourism ranks high on the TAT priority list because it answers to the needs of new-generation tourists. With voluntourism, each trip is not just about reaching an attraction but also about making the trip meaningful. This time, we have arranged the ‘fish-release activities’ using a variety of fresh-water fish species such as the Common Snakehead, the Seven-Stripped Carp, the Common Silver Barb, and the Nile Tilapia. The Sing Buri Research and Development Center for Freshwater Fisheries has provided a total of 120,000 fishes for the activities. All of them are released to Mae La River at the Mae La Maharachanuson Park in Sing Buri”.
Mr. Sugree adds that, “Mae La is a main river in Sing Buri. It runs through the province’s three districts namely In Buri, Bang Rachan and Mueang Sing Buri. Because this river is abundant, itsfishes enjoy rich nutrients and taste good. When compared with fishes from other sources, those from the Mae La River taste better. Pla Chon Mae La (Common Sneakhead from Mae La) is thus famous. It’s also an economic animal for Sing Buri. Pla Chon Mae La gets into many well-known dishes. Pla Chon Mae La-based products are indeed popular for both consumption and souvenir. Tourists and passers-by always spend some time to taste or buy Pla Chon Mae La from Sing Buri. So, in the face of dwindling Common Snakehead population in Mae La River, relevant authorities have decided to rehabilitate and conserve this waterway by dredging it and establishing the Mae La Maharachanuson Park on its bank. There are key fish species such as Mrigal, Common Snakehead, Red tilapia and Common Silver Barb around the park”.
The aforementioned “fish-release activities” by the TAT is going to increase Sing Buri’s economic fish population in the natural waterway, which will in turn stimulate the local economy and facilitate income-distribution among the locals.
Domestic Public Relations Division, TAT
1600 New Pechburi Road, Makkasan, Bangkok 10400