Sustainable, Responsible Tourism in Thailand
Go Local: Your Thailand Holiday can make a Difference
Through Green Gecko we aim to show that sustainable, responsible
tourism may be applied effectively to the benefit of both the locals
themselves as well as that of our guests.
Our desire to create and maintain immediately indigenous employment
led to our decision to ensure that Green Gecko was both built and
operated by local families, who then use local produce and services
in the day to day running of the villa. All revenues are distributed
within the local community, and we aim to support reforestation,
waste disposal programmes and education wherever possible.
By simply choosing Green Gecko for your next holiday you are helping
our efforts. Should you wish to support more proactively, please do
not hesitate to contact us, whether you wish to help by planting
trees, protecting the natural eco-systems, donating to a local
school (perhaps an old notebook you no longer use?) or in any other
way you choose!
Environmentally Aware
In the grounds of Green Gecko, we grow many of the
ingredients that we use in our Thai cooking, ensuring that this
produce is fresh, organic and seasonal, whilst also reducing
so-called "food miles". Examples you may find yourself picking to
help add authenticity to your Thai food are chillies, lemongrass,
spring onions, coriander, mint, pea eggplant, limes, mangos and
more. Rice husks from our paddies and cattle dung provide any
additional nutrients.
Like the vast majority of Thai houses in Isan, we harvest rainwater
in traditional "Ong" pots, and your private swimming pool uses salt
chlorination rather than chemicals. We maximize recycling with
regular contributions to the local "saleng" who have an established
system to ensure all that can be recycled, will be. .
All those you see working at the villa are local villagers, and
services are sourced locally providing direct revenue to those
involved. A holiday at Green Gecko means you "go local" whilst
permitting the villagers to "stay local" - without being obliged to
follow the all too common practice of family disintegration through
migration to the cities in search of work.
We are proud to be associated with Responsible Travel and are
members of the Travel Forum.
The Thai villa construction team
The team that constructed Green Gecko was comprised entirely of local villagers, predominantly from the two villages in the immediate vicinity of the house - Baan Um Jaan and Baan Koke Lante. Often, husbands and wives worked together, employing the skills that they had acquired working either elsewhere in Thailand or, in some cases, overseas.
Rather than "outsource" the construction of Green Gecko, we wished to maximize local employment, not only to demonstrate the skills of the local villagers and to provide a showcase for various craftsmen, but also to generate a direct income for them within their own neighbourhood as part of our support of sustainable, responsible tourism.
This was a welcome respite to the many people involved in the project, as they were paid directly rather than through a middleman, and were able to remain with their families whilst working, rather than having to move to Bangkok or elsewhere to seek work.
Several of those who worked on Green Gecko had formerly worked on Gecko Villa, and it was rewarding for them to see that their original efforts had led to further employment and growth.
Where building materials for the villa could not be produced locally, we selected suppliers who in turn promote local knowledge and traditions, using hand made terracotta tiles for the roof and hand produced ceramic tiles for the swimming pool. Each of these suppliers is based upcountry and provide regional employment out of Bangkok.
The team who built Green Gecko enjoyed working on this project close to their homes and community, and do hope that you will enjoy staying here!