Faasai resort

Introduction: Our inspiration has come from a lifelong dream and commitment to protect nature and the environment. Our philosophy is to create ”a place of harmony, grace and natural beauty” which includes recognizing the importance of every aspect of our operations – nature, the community, the well being and health of our guests and staff, and respecting the spiritual and cultural values of the Thai people. We believe in the healing power of nature and the unique sense of place. One reason why people travel is they wish to experience something different and inspiring; and what we offer is a unique and restorative experience at Faasai Resort and Spa.

Faasai, which means clear skies, is in Kung Wiman, which means heaven on earth. Indeed, this is what people find when they come here….on TripAdvisor travellers use words like “paradise” “heaven” “eden” in describing their experience here. Our location has many special features. Unusually, by the coast, there is an abundance of fresh water in the form of natural turquoise coloured mineral springs which comes to the surface in the form of ponds and streams which local people use for their gardens and orchards. The resort is nestled beside a small forest reserve in the foothills of the world renowned Cardamom Mountains and is only a few minutes’ walk to the sea. These features make the area a magnet for wildlife, despite being only three hours drive from Thailand’s capital of Bangkok.

Environment:
This month we were interviewed by the local cable television Chanthaburi TV on the subject of being an eco resort – what this means and the kinds of projects we have. You could say it was news because protection of the environment hasn’t been a high priority in Thailand up to now and the producers were intrigued that a foreigner was here teaching Thai people how to protect their own heritage. The local mayor and administrator were so inspired by the programme that they called a meeting of the villagers and talked to them about nature conservation and protection of the environment - asking for them to support it. It was well received as the villagers are coming to understand that foreigners are interested in experiencing nature, and they too can benefit from this by protecting natural resources and helping to save the environment. Examples of protecting the environment proposed by the local leaders included planting trees and recycling rubbish.

Local elections are due next month and we are really hoping that this awareness will help maintain the balance in favour of the current leaders who are keen to protect the environment. Local politics is a big problem in Thailand as, it has often been the case that people with money can do whatever they like – and often the environment is the loser. We are supportive of conservation projects in the area such as the marine sanctuary in Kung Kraben bay - and we have collaborated with a design company to design tee-shirts and plan to start up a website to help with the marine project’s educational efforts to raise awareness about the rare and endangered dugongs that visit the bay.

I recommend that guests use the air-conditioned buses which go every hour from Bangkok to Chanthaburi or six times a day from the airport. The company I recommend is called Chotchoi. We built the resort in the first place to be energy efficient - with solar power for water heating, rooms that are well ventilated, well shaded and insulated with fans in all the rooms as an alternative to air conditioning. We have put in efficient light bulbs and now all of our outdoor lighting is energy efficient. We have also planted trees to help cool down the area and this is already making a difference. We plan to generate energy from solar cells in the future. We use a key card to switch off air conditioning in the rooms when guests go out. Our website, e-brochures and info in rooms emphasises conservation values.

Our water comes from an underground spring and we have a meter which indicates how much electricity we are using for the pump – so we can keep an eye on water consumption. To conserve water we have a grey water tank – water from this is used to water gardens. Our plantings in the garden are largely of shrubs and trees that don't require a lot of water, we are constantly trying to improve the soil condition and retention ability with bokashi compost made using EM (effective microorganisms.) We use the runoff from the swimming pool to water the garden and plantings of vetiver grass to leach the chlorine from the pool out of the water.

We avoid dangerous cleaning products harmful to the environment and guests. We launder our sheets only every second day and dry outside in the air and sun. We use laundry powder. Our electricity bills are very low – less than many single families have in Bangkok – and this is for the whole resort. We do have a carbon offset scheme but an informal one – we have planted over 2000 trees and retained several hundred trees on our properties as well as developing fresh water streams and springs which are also carbon sinks.

Our place is somewhat special as it is part of the lush province of Chanthaburi with many rare plants, fruits and herbs and animals which are only found on the Indochina peninsula. This part of the Gulf of Thailand was a very important part of the ancient spice trade and was settled earlier than most other parts of Thailand. Plants such as cardamom, cloves, pepper, and cinnamon all grow naturally here. The highly prized aloes wood which was the source of the earliest incense is here. Aloes wood is the most expensive essential oil in the world, and we are growing many of these trees on our resort property and actually have a plantation of aloes wood nearby with about 1000 trees.

Local wildlife includes birds, squirrels, amphibians, loris, monkeys, wild cats, bats, fish, lizards and dugongs. We left around 50 native trees on the property when we built the resort and have since then planted around 500 trees on the property including many rare and precious native tree varieties such as aloes wood and neem and rosewood and teak. We have also encouraged more native trees to regenerate here. We have planted specifically to attract wildlife such as birds and squirrels and bats with many fruiting and flowering species.

We have such a strong commitment to conservation we have bought nearby land with a swamp and fresh water springs to conserve as a nature sanctuary which we call White Water Lake. As an indication of its importance, it is the local water catchment and White Water Lake was the original name of the local village here. We have also purchased the ancient cashew nut orchard next to the resort which we are preserving as a wild garden for the enjoyment of guests and shelter and nourishment of local wildlife. These areas also serve to protect biodiversity as they provide a place for many wild local herbs, plants and trees to grow.

Our little peninsula of Kung Wiman and the surrounding districts in the province of Chanthaburi has much natural scenic beauty and the area is little developed for urban, or industrial purposes. Traditional ways of life still exist such as fishing, gardening, hunting and gathering.

Because of its beauty we expect it will become a popular resort area and we are concerned that such developments will lead to the loss of habitat. We have protected as much land as we can afford. The White Water Lake nature sanctuary is about 8 acres and the wild cashew nut orchard is around one and a half acres. The resort is about three and a half acres and the aloes wood plantation is about one and a half acres. We only have 15 guest rooms at the resort which are supported by a spa and a restaurant. We have enhanced the natural habitat by providing diverse plantings and a safe shelter at the resort and protecting for posterity the wild garden and the sanctuary. The sanctuary is being enhanced with additional plantings including vetiver grass and around 1000 trees so far and we have landscaped this swamp to retain the water – which has the additional benefit of preventing flooding in the neighbours’ properties. Our plantation of around 1000 aloes wood trees not only preserves a precious tree which is endangered in the wild but provides a carbon sink.

Thanks to our efforts, sightings of wildlife are growing all the time. Around 50 different species of birds have been spotted around the resort and at our wetlands there are even more different species – perhaps close to 100. We have many different varieties of frogs and toads – more than a dozen at the resort and even more at the sanctuary. We also have many different kinds of lizards and squirrels. Snakes are beautiful and endangered creatures, but there is a problem in welcoming them at the resort since many people are frightened of snakes. We therefore discourage snakes at the resort by keeping the gardens very neat and tidy but have set aside wild areas where they and other wild creatures can live in peace in the cashew nut orchard adjoining the resort and wild bushy areas at the sanctuary. At the sanctuary we also have more than a dozen varieties of fresh water fish, fresh water shrimps, water monitors, pythons, rats and water snails, all of which are desperately in need of an undisturbed place to live, which is what we are giving them.

As yet we don’t have bird boxes or bat boxes but we have plantings to encourage birds including tall trees, a big variety of trees which fruit and flower at different times and many fruit trees. We also have two fish ponds in the garden which attract birds and butterflies and dragonflies and frogs and provide much needed water during the dry season which lasts six months. There has been a very noticeable increase in the birds and butterflies which are at the resort in the past three or four years including many rare species.

We are continually improving the environment with a biodynamic gardening system that improves the quality of the soil, creates more biodiversity and reduces toxic residues. The system we use is called Effective Microorganisms, otherwise known as EM. EM is an optimal balance of microorganisms which can be manufactured and reproduced. The system was developed by a Japanese professor – but the technology has been disseminated though Thailand which is the centre for the Asia Pacific. EM is cheap and easily available throughout the country and is mixed with molasses which returns carbon to the soil.

We use EM with strong smelling Thai herbs such as galangal, citronella and neem as a non toxic form of pest control. This actually improves the quality of the soil, nourishes the plants and encourages good insects such as ladybirds. Using this system has led to an overall improvement in the soil quality and lushness in the garden and an increase in frogs and birds and lizards in the garden which help to control pests in the garden.

To help protect the water supply at the nature sanctuary and soak up the runoff from the resort during the rainy season .we have plantings of vetiver grass which leach out any toxic chemicals which might be in the water. We use chlorine in our small swimming pool but the water in our guest rooms is from our underground spring and has no added chemicals.

We make compost out of biodegradable waste, separate out anything that can be recycled such as metals, plastics, bottles and cans. Toxic materials such as batteries are separated out and sold to recyclers. We are very waste conscious and the only meals we serve guests in their rooms are on plates which we wash ourselves. The only products in the rooms are freshly cut flowers from our garden and soap.

We have regular meetings with our staff about the importance of protecting the environment and although initially skeptical, they have gradually come to accept and support our ideas. We place information about our eco activities on our website which covers topics such as caring for the environment and supporting the community. We also have this information in a book which is in every room for our guests. I write articles about this for various publications about the environment and nature conservation and have a Squidoo lens about being a green entrepreneur.

We have recommended that the local council support the environment and that they provide nature walks etc for visitors - advice which they have adopted. We are promoting the area as an eco destination and creating a positive role model for others to follow. We are away from the seashore and because we provide a very pleasant and comfortable garden environment our guests mainly stay at the resort rather than putting pressure on the limited space by the sea.

Community:
We are on the advisory board to the local council and have many suggestions for entrepreneurial activities for local people. For example home stay in the fishing village, providing rental stalls for local vendors and food stalls by the waterfront, setting aside public areas for local festivals, enhancing the environment by planting trees, developing a mangrove area as a tourist attraction and providing an OTOP marketplace (a government project to support the development of local crafts) for tourists to visit. These are all important as it helps local people to have meaningful work and their own livelihood – much more important than providing simple charity. The area is special because it is not a tourist enclave but the local people lead their own lives, mainly deriving their livelihood from the land and sea. As a responsible operator we are doing everything within our powers to ensure this continues.

We support community events and performance arts events with contributions, and take visitors to see local shows and local religious festivals. This is generally every couple of months. We are the most generous and successful business in the local neighbourhood so we support everything – putting our hands in our pockets several times a year for various causes such as scholarships for local students, donating computers to schools, tree planting, donations to the temple, uniforms for school sports, helping to build the local police station etc. Each time would be about Bt 5000 – 1000. We also donate money to families on an individual basis such as giving money (Bt 1000) about once a month to a little boy with cerebral palsy. More importantly I spend time playing with him and his family who live in the local fishing village. With other neighbours we give gifts such as food, herbal massage oils, clothing – as part of the friendliness and reciprocity of living in a small community.

We do encourage guests to participate in local activities – e.g. to make donations to the temple, which serves as the local community centre and invite them to take part in local events – such as a volley ball challenge against the locals. We will invite them to buy tee-shirts to support the dugong project. The local people are quite proud and self sufficient so it isn’t a matter of “helping them with charity work” but being involved in their lives and supporting them in a friendly neighbourly way. This includes making donations to assist them for all their events such as funerals, house blessing ceremonies etc.

We encourage guests to use local eating places – usually the outdoor local eateries by the sea but sometimes other places such as local noodle or somtum eateries near the resort. We also invite them to try out local food including the fresh food in season right now and buy food from the vendors who are welcome to visit the resort. We often buy local delicacies ourselves and invite them to try them.

Our staff are local. We have seven full time staff and two part time staff. Two of our full time staff are members of my husband’s family – they are originally from a province in the Northeast Ubon Ratchathani and now have moved to Kung Wiman where they are our house managers. They live at the resort with their two children. The other five full time staff range in age from about 23 to 70 and come from local villagers within a five kilometre radius, all within the sub-district called Sanamchai. They have lived here all their lives.

They all have specific areas of expertise – e.g. housekeeping, cooking driving, and gardening. However prior to working with us, the local people weren’t experienced with working for foreigners. In addition to supplementary training in spa services to our therapists we provide coaching sessions in English language and guest relations. We have a regular monthly meeting to talk about policy issues and listen to anything they wish to raise with us. Training in general is one-on-one and ongoing. I am constantly talking to our guests and providing feedback about the guests’ experiences as well as encouraging friendly relationships between the guests and staff.

Our wish is to retain staff over the long-term and we provide very good care for them including above average pay plus extra money for long service. We provide sick leave, holidays, overtime, pay above the minimum wage and provide time off for family situations - such as bereavement, sick relatives, graduation ceremonies etc. We comply fully with the law and go beyond this by also helping out with loans when they get into difficulties, taking them and occasionally their relatives to hospital. We also give staff free rice and often buy special treats for them, or invite them to have meals with us and some special guests. We also give generous bonuses and special pay for extra effort. Unlike any other resort I know of, we even gave bonuses to our staff who had worked for us for less than one year.

We have a distinctive menu featuring local products and dishes and foods. We call this forest cuisine - as it includes unusual foods such as the leaves of garcinia cambogia, neem trees and leaves and flowers of siamese Ccssia which are all growing naturally on our land or were planted by us. These are difficult to find in Bangkok, not available in other countries and would certainly not be picked freshly off the tree, as is the case with us.

We believe this provides an authentic experience for visitors as food is one of the most important elements of travel and eating wild food is also a way to connect with nature as well as being good for health. We also use locally made products such as "gapi" shrimp paste, fish sauce, sea salt and black peppercorns. We always provide our guests with fruit as the area is famous for its fruit. This is bought from local orchardists or grown by us. We also encourage them to buy things from the local shops. Fresh food is sourced locally, mainly from local fishermen, fish and shrimp farms, orchardists or markets. We also buy food from vendors who travel around on their motorcycles selling their home made produce - eg noodles, local specialities such as sweetmeats made from sticky rice.

The local craft situation isn't especially well developed so we wish to encourage this, especially among the older women in the community. We have plans to develop our own unique craft work In our recently acquired wetlands area we have a swamp where the reeds used to make the famous Chanthaburi mats are growing. In the future we would like to produce these mats and basketware using the reeds and vetiver grass which we are also growing and use natural dyes made from the indigenous plants and herbs we are growing.

We used local tradesmen to build our resort including builders, plumbers, electricians, engineers, carpenters and we also use them for ongoing maintenance and development work. We source building materials locally where there is quite a well developed craft tradition – for example in areas such as pottery, ceramics, brick making, furniture building. We have poured hundreds of thousands of pounds into the local economy and keep on doing so. We always use the same people as we have a strong relationship with them and are happy with their work although we occasionally engage other local workers for less skilled jobs such as mowing grass or weeding.