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Through Tinniyom, Jirawan “Mon” Kumsao is finding new ways to turn Chiang Dao’s local knowledge and resources into opportunities for its people.
Modernising a place does not always mean making it new. Sometimes, it means recognising the value of what already exists: the people, the knowledge they carry, the resources around them and the ways they live with nature. Meaningful revitalisation begins with understanding a place and finding ways to build on its strengths.
This is the thinking behind Tinniyom, founded by Jirawan “Mon” Kumsao, a scientist who returned to Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai, after working at Thailand’s National Science and Technology Development Agency.
As Tinniyom Festival returns for its second year, from today to 3 November, we look at how Mon is putting this philosophy into practice and creating reasons to visit her hometown.
Growing from What Exists
Tinniyom grew from Mon’s affection for Chiang Dao and her desire to see it flourish on its own terms. Returning gave her the chance to understand the area more deeply and build on its existing strengths.
“Coming home allows us to build on what we already know and develop a model that can grow and be shared with others. If this work can create businesses and help drive the local economy, we need to prepare people to take part. When others come to learn from Chiang Dao, residents should be ready to share their knowledge and carry the work forward.”
As a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Chiang Dao has international significance. Its future depends on finding a balance between economic development, cultural heritage and environmental protection. Tinniyom seeks to bring these priorities into closer alignment.
Turning Knowledge into Opportunity
“We believe in running a transparent business that supports local livelihoods and allows people to stay in their communities.”
Tinniyom’s projects range from documenting traditional practices to developing products from regional resources.
Tinniyom Classroom brings researchers, young people and older residents together to record skills and customs that might otherwise disappear. Field visits explore edible plants, traditional food, farming and the practical knowledge developed through everyday life. The findings are preserved through academic research and educational content.
Courtesy of Jirawan “Mon” Kumsao
Tinniyom Selected turns regional ingredients into products for cafés, restaurants and other brands. Its services include product development and OEM production, alongside research into ingredient origins and the people behind them. The team helps farmers identify crops with market potential and encourages methods that reduce chemical use and protect surrounding ecosystems.
Tinniyom Innovation works with universities, researchers and science agencies to develop new products from local resources. One project turns agricultural waste into pet coffins made from mycelium, a network of fungal fibres that binds plant materials together. The project offers a new use for discarded agricultural waste while exploring more sustainable alternatives to conventional materials.
Courtesy of Jirawan “Mon” Kumsao
“We try to understand each person’s skills and experience, then find work that suits them. Someone who once worked as a hunter, for example, may know the forest well and could become a guide for herbal walks. We look for ways to help people earn an income by building on what they already know.”
Tinniyom Festival: An Open House for Chiang Dao
Now in its second year, Tinniyom Festival brings Mon’s wider vision into one place. She describes it as an open house where visitors can discover the work behind Tinniyom and experience the local culture that gives Chiang Dao its character. The festival brings in local cafés, restaurants, accommodation providers and makers, spreading the benefits of tourism across the community.
“Last year felt like a full-scale rehearsal. We spent a lot of time preparing behind the scenes, and now, in the second year, we feel ready to welcome everyone.”
Visitors can follow a map of participating places and activities, from herbal walks and cooking sessions to ceramics and indigo dyeing. Each offers a chance to learn directly from someone with practical experience.
“Visitors can explore the town, visit cafés that use our flower teas, meet the farmers who grow them and learn about the place along the way.”
This year’s programme also includes a running activity in collaboration with Anne Thongprasom. Participants can take off their shoes and enjoy a barefoot walk, feeling the earth beneath their feet and reconnecting with nature.
Food remains a highlight. A special dinner brings chefs and producers together to explore Chiang Dao’s ingredients through dishes inspired by soil, seeds, water, forests and traditional wisdom.
Across the festival, visitors can discover the people and knowledge behind the place, while local residents gain new ways to share their skills and create livelihoods. For Mon, that exchange is central to Tinniyom’s vision. Chiang Dao already has the resources and knowledge it needs; the challenge is to help more people recognise their value and find ways to carry them forward.
“Ultimately, we want to show how community-based tourism can bring different dimensions of a place together. We hope the Tourism Authority of Thailand can then promote how tourism can connect culture, agriculture and nature conservation.”
