Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) hosted a one-day tour for members of the press to two special MICE venues in Bangkok that have embraced the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economic Model to reinvent themselves for the future. The tour is part of TCEB’s activities in the run-up to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit to be held during 18-19 November in Bangkok.

The BCG economic model is core to Thailand’s vision for sustainable development and t a means to economic recovery of the Asia Pacific region. It has been part of the agenda in the series of APEC Summit preparatory meetings held in Thailand this year.

The two venues – Patom Organic Farm and Galile Oasis – are available for meetings, dining, or teambuilding activities. The former offers a countryside setting with luxuriant greenery while the latter a rugged combination of old and new that has proved to be pitch-perfect for theatrical performances, literary events, and craft markets. The venues also showcase how the BCG model has enable them to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of good health and well-being, sustainable cities and communities, and responsible consumption and production.

Patom Organic Farm is located about an hour’s drive to the west of Bangkok on 40,000 sqm of riverside farmland where herbs, vegetables, and fruits are grown. The site was untouched swampland for more than half a century until its owners decided to develop it as an organic farm in 2018. Today, the farm also offers seven meeting rooms with capacity for up to 125 persons and 83 guest rooms for visitors who wish to stay over. MICE planners can organise activities based on a range of traditional practices such as seed-sorting, organic fertiliser making, vegetable planting, making scrub from rice grain, and making massage oil from herbs. At Patom’s wellness zone, there are also mind and body rehabilitation sessions to enhance a visitor’s understanding of healthy living. With its back-to-nature atmosphere, wholesome gastronomy and eco-cultural activities, Patom Organic Farm is a statement on sustainability articulated with Thai ingenuity and artistry.

Despite its location near the Ratchathewi BTS skytrain station, Galile Oasis lives up to its name of being a pocket of serenity amid the frenzy of urban Bangkok. Made up of 20 units of three-storey shop houses that had for many years lay abandoned in dilapidated neglect, it was given a new lease of life in 2019 when a group of theatre enthusiasts decided to come together to create a space that would fulfil their needs. Mindful of the history of the site, they renovated it with a light touch by repurposing some of the original materials and preserving the site’s gritty imperfection even as modern functional features were installed. The result is a multi-purpose arts space comprising a gallery, theatre, café and a 19-room loft-style hotel that quickly caught the fancy of Bangkok’s creative community. Now known as an urban sanctuary with a unique identity and youthful energy with a meeting capacity of 60 pax, Galile Oasis is living proof of the transformative power of the BCG model when vision meets determination.

TCEB President, Mr Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said: “The tour to Patom Organic Farm and Galile Oasis is an opportunity for Thailand to show how the BCG model can benefit business, community, and the environment. TCEB has a policy of advancing sustainable MICE and community-based MICE. Throughout the APEC Summit in Thailand, our ‘7 MICE Magnificent Themes’ campaign has allowed us to turn the spotlight on local communities throughout Thailand. The 7 themes – Exhilarating Adventures, Culinary Journeys, CSR & Green Meetings, Treasured Team Building, Lavish Luxury, Fascinating History & Culture, and Beach Bliss – are aligned with both the BCG model as well as the 2022 APEC Summit’s theme of ‘Open, Connect, Balance’. We hope Patom Organic Farm and Galile Oasis will capture the interest of event organisers and corporate clients who are looking for unconventional locations and experiences. Many more such MICE-ready venues can be found in our latest branding campaign ‘Thailand MICE – Meet the Magic’. We have made it much easier for MICE visitors to experience the local way of life when they visit Thailand.”