Nan Sandbox Project was launched with the ultimate goal of preserving and reforesting Nan pristine headwater forest. Nan River is the longest of the four rivers contributing to Chao Phraya River, the vein of Thailand. This pristine headwater forest originates over 40 percent of the water in Chao Phraya River. Thus, the impact of those floods and droughts in the past decade, facing by people in the region, could have been lessen with a well-preserved headwater forest. On this account, conservation and rehabilitation of Nan forest is of paramount importance to all of us. Recognizing this, a representative of Thailand’s private sector, KASIKORNBANK foundation has been working to come up with a sustainable solution to tackle this problem.

Under the Nan Sandbox Project, a unique partnership between the Thai government, villagers, local leaders, and private sector were formed to work together towards the shared ultimate goal. The project promotes such a long-term development plan which will sustainably build a community that human and forest harmoniously cohabitate together, along with ensuring the standard of living of people in the Sandbox. In doing so, the project is working on the integration of “Plants to Medicines” knowledge to create a new end-to-end value chain with high enough value to be shared back to Nan villagers. With a sustainable income, Nan villagers will wholeheartedly turn into a major force of Nan pristine headwater forest’s guardian.