Chiang Mai: The Ministry of Culture has announced an invitation for people to visit the "Wat Sri Suphan Community" in Chiang Mai Province, highlighting it as one of the 10 best model communities to explore the way of life in 2024. The community is renowned for its Lanna culture, exquisite silverware, and vibrant walking street of Wualai.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Prasop Riangngen, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of Wat Sri Suphan Community, celebrating it as a prototype community for 'Visit the Community, See the Way of Life' for the fiscal year 2024. The event was attended by prominent figures, including Phra Khru Phithak Sutthikun, Abbot of Wat Sri Suphan, Mr. Wiraphong Ritrod, Deputy Governor of Chiang Mai Province, and Mr. Surapol Kiettichaiyakorn, Advisor to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, among others.
Before the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary explored the unique identity of the Wat Sri Suphan community, including 'Metal Plate Embossing' and inaugurated the Lanna Art Gallery Museum at the home of Father Khru Direk Sitthikarn, National Artist in Visual Arts 2022. He participated in embossing souvenir key chains and awarded certificates to winners of an embossing contest, promoting the continuation of Lanna art.
The Permanent Secretary expressed satisfaction with the community's ability to harness its potential to promote cultural work, aligning with the Ministry's policy to expand cultural capital. Wat Sri Suphan Community is notable for its preservation of Lanna culture, lifestyle, and renowned silver handicrafts. Located on Wualai Road, it serves as a vibrant cultural tourism destination, featuring the world's first Silver Ubosot, a significant attraction for both Thai and foreign tourists.
Visitors can engage in local activities such as silverware making, candlelight processions, pattern-making workshops, and participate in Lanna-style destiny-telling ceremonies. The Wualai Walking Street Cultural Market offers handmade products like jewelry and local artwork, along with traditional foods such as khao soi and sai ua.
Chiang Mai remains a popular tourist destination, celebrated for its natural beauty, arts, and unique Lanna identity. Surrounded by cultural attractions such as Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Wat Suan Dok, the Ministry invites tourists to experience 'Visiting the Community, Seeing the Way of Life' at Wat Sri Suphan Community, promoting sustainable cultural tourism and supporting the local economy.