Food Festival in the Southern Border Province of Satun

(26/08/2011)

Satun, one of Thailand’s five southernmost provinces, is noted for not only tourist destinations but also native food. It is organizing a major food festival, as a way of helping promote local tourism. Organized jointly by the Satun Municipality, the Satun Public Health Office, and local restaurant operators, the 10-day food festival, the 10th of its kind, takes place in Mueang district from 26 August to 4 September 2011. Apart from stimulating the local economy, the event also reflects cultural diversity in Satun, with a harmonious mixture of Buddhist Thai and Muslim Thai cultures. There will be 80-100 booths with delicious food to be offered to visitors. Also joining the festival are nearby provinces, such as Phatthalung and Surat Thani, which will bring in their delicacies. Another objective is in response to the “Clean Food, Good Taste” campaign. A small province bordering Malaysia, Satun is located on the Andaman Sea, with lust mangrove forests. Its unique location has become a magnet for tourists, adventurers, and businesspeople, as well as nature lovers. The province is famous for pristine nature covered with jungles, mountains, and beaches. It is suitable for development into an eco-tourism center, with great potential for an increase in cross-border trade with Malaysia, as well. According to statistics compiled in 2009, Satun has a population of almost 30,000; 74 percent of the local residents are Muslim and 25.8 Buddhist, living happily in harmony. Most local people are engaged in rubber, oil palm, rice, and fruit farming, followed by retail and wholesale trade of agricultural products. The province welcomes more than 760,000 Thai and foreign tourists each year. It boasts three national parks: Tarutao National Park, Phetra National Park, and Thale Ban National Park. The Tarutao National Park is one of the most picturesque tourist attractions in the province and it is located only a few kilometers from the Malaysian isle of Langkawi. The Tarutao National Park is recognized as one of the ASEAN Heritage Parks and Reserves. During World War II, Tarutao used to serve as a place of detention for long-term detainees and political prisoners and as an occupational training center for convicts. This marine national park is also a settlement of “sea gypsies,” island inhabitants from long ago who still lead their traditional way of life. One of the province’s major tourist attractions is the Satun National Museum, which was developed from an old mansion built by a former governor in the 19th century. It is in the European architectural form with a Thai-style roof. According to a development plan for the five southern border provinces special zone for 2009-2012, Satun has been set to become an eco-tourism center and a gateway linking tourism and transport on the Andaman Sea.