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About Us
The main stakeholder group
Track of the Tiger
The VWB Initiative
The villagers of Ban Mae Lai.
The Pang Soong Lodge, Outdoor Education & Research Centre.
VWB virtual volunteers.
Our charter.
Social responsibility schematic.
Contact detail.
About Us – The main stakeholder group.
 Track of the Tiger T.R.D.
Track of the Tiger Co. Ltd., was established as a specialist soft adventure tour company and adventure tour resort operatoe in Ban Thaton, Chiang Mai,northern Thailand, in early 1986. Since then, the company has diversified across the tourism and hospitality sectors.
Recognising that the development of ‘ecotourism’ in the region, and the destruction of the forests and watersheds was closely linked to the lack of a stakeholding in the industry by the rural villagers and ethnic minority groups, Track of the Tiger decided to establish a not-for-profit arm -and through it pursue the establishment of a genuinely sustainable ecotourism business model with full local stakeholder participation and ownership
at its core.
To quote Shane K Beary the company founder: “If we do not practice corporate social responsibility, and work with the rural villagers and ethnic minority groups to protect the environment, then before too long the attractions will no longer exist, and we, along with the rest of the tourist industry will be out of business”.
He suggests that given (a) the exponential increase in tourists researching and booking tourism services online,and (b) the increased interest in tourism products that are sustainable in nature, ethically operated, allow informal interaction between the tourist and the host communities they visit,
the tour industry needs to rethink the traditional supply chain model. He believes that the supply chain needs to be extended to incorporate the CBT (community based
tourism) product, at fair trade rates, with each member of the supply chain, streamlining their operations, improving product knowledge, and providing a ‘value for money service’, rather than just taking a commission on services sold.
He is convinced that properly managed CBT products will attract far greater visitor numbers to developing destinations, allowing the tourism industry to (a) increase revenue whilst improving its image (b) play a responsible role in combating poverty, global warming and human rights. Track of the Tiger has established the VWB Initiative as a non profit arm (soon to become a foundation) to enter into a development assistance agreement with the villagers of Ban Mae Lai, and has embarked on a pilot ecotourism project – the Pang Soong Nature Trails.
The non profit arm approach allows us to raise donor funding for and manage VWB Initiative projects like the Pang Soong Nature Trails, where ownership of the assets built being is held by the village, and the project is overseen by the village committee.
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The VWB Initiative –Voluntourists Without Borders.
 The VWB Initiative is a capacity building program that works in partnership with the local community. The Goals of the Initiative are to:
- Reverse deforestation and increase biodiversity along the Pang Soong Nature Trails & Community Forest.
- Reduce poverty in the participating local village (Ban Mae Lai).
- Preserve and celebrate the village’s indigenous culture and knowledge.
- Encourage other villages in Northern Thailand to emulate these practices.
- Create a sustainable ecotourism industry in Northern Thailand
The villagers of Ban Mae Lai. The villagers of Ban Me Lai are ‘Khun Muang’, the ethnic group who were the early inhabitants, farmers
and hunter gatherers, of the Chiang Mai valley. They were displaced by ‘foreigners’ moving in from the south, and so moved up into the hills surrounding
the valley floor. Through marriage, they absorbed the original inhabitants of mountain area – Kamu and
Tai Lua (Shan)ethnic minorities, and over time established the 4 clusters of houses located in a close
group along the steep sides of the Mae Lai stream. There are now some 40 homes, and some 90 inhabitants of Ban Mae Lai as the group is collectively known. Mae Lai, means ‘mother Lai’ – and refers to the name of the mother of Khun Phiyalai – the first headman. There village, one of many in the foothills of the mountain range that runs from the northeast to
the southeast, separating the Chiang Mai valley from that of Lampang, to the south. The village nestles in a valley on the banks for the Mae Lai stream at 1’000 m.a.s.l., some 50kms from
the city centre,only one hour away by road, but a world apart in terms of lifestyle and modernity. The villagers have traditionally made a living from farming Chaa Mieng (fermented tea), but it is no
longer popular and with the young folk leaving the village to find employment in the cities, tradition, culture and the community it self face challenges to their survival.
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The Pang Soong Lodge, Outdoor Education & Research Centre.
The Pang Soong Lodge, Outdoor Education & Research Centre.
was formerly a small privately owned cluster of Khun Muang style buildings set on the banks of the Mae Lai stream, and surrounded by pristine forest, interspersed with ‘Chaa Miang’ bushes.
The present owners have upgraded the property and its facilities to meet the projected accommodation and logistical support requirements of the volunteers who will initially the Pang Soong Nature Trails project, and the ecotourism / educational tourism related clients who will make use of the finished product.The Lodge owners have also agreed to have it function as an employment/ training centre for villagers wanting to work in the hospitality and ecotourism industries.
VWB virtual volunteers.
The VWB Initiative has volunteers working from their homes in various countries around the world. Being a virtual volunteer allows participants to maintain contact with the Initiative beyond any time they spend in Thailand and continue to contribute to the Initiative reaching its goals.See our VWB Virtual volunteers page on Face Book for more details.
Our charter
The VWB initiative operates in accordance with the following Principles. We in turn will seek out partners and suppliers who are similarly aligned in their practices. Socially Responsible The VWB Initiative is a socially responsible project. The Initiative enables others to be socially responsible: our sponsors, volunteers and voluntourists. The overarching platform of social responsibility governs the remainder of the Principles by which we operate.Ethical Operations The VWB initiative operates ethically and with integrity.
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The work undertaken by volunteers / voluntourists is real work that addresses a significant development need identified by the VWB Initiative (via the Village Committee).
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Volunteers / voluntourists do not replace local employees as unpaid staff members working for the profits of others. Volunteers / voluntourists work alongside local people on development projects and contribute the daily rate for that local person’s wage, as well as donations to the VWB development fund.
As with the Principle of Social Responsibility, Ethical Operations governs the work conducted by the Initiative and impacts on the remainder of the Principles.TransparentThe VWB initiative operates in an open manner providing detailed information on funding expenditure and progress towards achieving the program goals.
Providing every volunteer / voluntourist / sponsor with a transparent breakdown of how their contribution will be (or has been) used
- Maintaining a running tally of projects / achievements on our website including how the need was identified, what the project cost, and the origin of the funds and volunteer labour contributions
[eg. New toilet built at xx school by volunteers from [company/school/group] cost Baht 25’000 (approx USD 500), include short summary of project, and origin on funds (ie. Baht xxx raised by the group, Baht xxx from VWB Initiative development fund)].
Accountable
The VWB initiative maintains its records to a high standard, and is accountable to program participants, sponsors and above all the local community.
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Maintaining direct contact with the local community through the village committee, and working on development projects to meet needs as identified through consultation with them.
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Providing sponsors with the information they require to meet their own reporting needs.
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Adapting accounting systems to meet the reporting requirements of international sponsors.
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Responding to the needs of program participants as they arise.
Environmentally SustainableThe VWB initiative is environmentally sustainable, and works towards developing sustainable practices for the local village.
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Preservation and restoration of native habitat.
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Facilitation and conduct of scientific studies to improve knowledge and understanding of the local environment.
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Development of a stable and safe walking trail through the valley.
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Installation of a minimally invasive hydroelectricity plant (no dam) to supply carbon-free power to the initiative and local village.
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Where possible, use only renewable resources in construction projects.
Protecting Human Rights
Local ownership of the project leads to capacity building, maintenance of identity and culture and a sense of dignity and pride in cultural knowledge.
Local staff are paid according to our Fair Trade policy, higher than local labouring rates and commensurate with the difficulty of the work.
The working rights of local people are protected and no volunteer / voluntourist labour will replace local labour, rather they work alongside each other, learning as they work, with the voluntourist contributing the cost of the day rate wage for the local employee, and to the VWB Development fund.
AccessibleThe VWB Initiative strives to be accessible to persons regardless of cultural background, gender, or physical or mental ability. We believe that everyone can make a contribution.
Where possible, programs will be adapted to suit the cultural, physical and mental abilities of participants.
On request we can develop programs to suit you/your group’s specific needs.
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Contact Detail.Shane K Beary - tiger@loxinfo.co.th
Postal address:
Track of the Tiger T.R.D. Co. Ltd.
22/8 Moo 4, Tambol Nonghoi,Amphur Muang,Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand.
Phone: 66(0)53-801-257, 66(0)53-801-6747 Facsimile: 66(0)53-801-257ext 1.Email : tiger@loxinfo.co.th
Website: http:// www.voluntourists-without-borders.com
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Volunteer
abroad, voluntourist, voluntourism, volunteer, volunteering
abroad, ecotourism, community development, community service,
GAP year programmes, school field trips, student tours, outdoor
education, nature trails, bird watching, flora and fauna tours,
global warming, carbon credits, poverty alleviation.
These are the words of our daily vocabulary. |
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22/8
Mahidol Road, Tambon Nonghoi ,Muang
Chiang Mai 50000 Thailand
Tel : +66 53 801 674 , 801 257
Fax: +66 53 801 674 ext 1
E-mail:tiger@loxinfo.co.th |
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Last updated
on
January 21, 2008
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