Sixth edition of Bangkok Noi Festival kicks off next month
Organiser Siriraj Hospital says it wants to promote sustainability and tourism in its Bangkok Noi home
Siriraj Hospital is preparing to organise the 6th edition of the “Bangkok Noi Festival” from November 25-29 in Bangkok Noi, on the west side of the Chao Phraya river.
Held for the first time in 2011, the festival aims to highlight the hospital’s roles in providing healthcare to communities in Bangkok Noi area for more than 100 years, Dr Apichart Asavamongkolkul, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, said on Monday.
These communities have a population of some 98,000 people, most of whom are elderly and require continued and specialised healthcare by professionals, he added.
“The role of Siriraj Hospital, in addition to caring for and promoting health, also focuses on improving the quality of life, community, and the environment,” he said.
“The Bangkok Noi Festival aims to promote good relationships between the hospital and communities, preserve valuable culture, stimulate the economy, promote tourism, and encourage participation in environmental efforts, as well as to make the quality products of Bangkok Noi widely known,” said Apichart.
The hospital estimates some 30,000 people will visit the hospital’s Sathan Phimuk Garden during the five-day fair and snap up both healthcare innovations and local products, generating over a million baht of income for local communities.
Apichart said this year’s event will focus on sustainability, promoting social responsibility activities with a focus on the environment. All packaging used in the fair will be made from recyclable materials, while litter bins will be arranged to help participants properly sort their waste. Vendors at the event will also be required to dispose of waste properly.
The highlight of the OTOP products to be showcased at the fair is the Baan Bu bowl, a decorative bowl made by Bangkok Noi’s Baan Bu Bronzework Community.
Believed to have originated in the Thonburi Era over 200 years ago, this exquisite hand-made bowl has been granted “Bangkok Brand” label by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The bowls have also been given to guests attending international conventions and events in Bangkok on several occasions.
