Bo Yang Batik group was supported by the Songkhla Municipality in 2013. For women in Bo Yang community, which is in Songkhla municipality, who are between the ages of 45 and 60. They are gathered to receive training in occupational skills to create jobs and income generation and sharing to support the family in the future. In the beginning, Songkhla Municipality provided resource person from Nathawee Vocational Education College to teach how to paint patterns on fabric to make batik and later, embroidery with beads. The 45 participants who received training went back to produce their own unique product. During that time, the group members worked on the fabrics individually and sold their work separately. The products gained the attention of upper-middle-income customers. Additionally, the product is promoted by the municipality, enabling continuous sales.
Embroidered fabrics were difficult to market between 2016 and 2017 due to high prices and the fact that they were products used on special occasions. Therefore, repeat purchasing are so infrequent that members have irregular income. 20 members who graduated from grade 6 to vocational school have joined a meeting with Homenet Thailand to discuss and find a solution to move forward. The group then changed its strategy by making low-cost products, and it will be easy for customers to make purchases. So, the group will be able to sell products and continuously provide income for its members. Later, the group received support from the Community Development Department of Songkhla Province for training on printing and dying batik. Batik is unique cloth of people in the southern region of Thailand. The group then changes from making hand-written batik with candles and bead embroidery to block printing technique. The group has developed many product designs to produce souvenirs and household items such as plate mats, bag accessories and hair clips, etc. These products can be sold at the local market. In 2020, the group was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in difficulty selling the product. So, Homenet Thailand assisted the group in developing a Business Model Canvas (BMC) and provide training to develop online marketing channels.
The Bo Yang Batik group was continuing to develop it products between 2021 and 2022. The group’s products include sarongs, shawls, skirts, shirts, bags, and masks. Handicraft is highlight of the group products that have beautiful patterns, colors, and maintains the traditional process as well. It also reflects the local lifestyle of women in the south who still use batik sarongs in their daily life from the past till present.
To adhere to the Social Solidarity Economy principle, Bo Yang Batik Group is organized based on participative working, which involves teamwork in production, and operation. The level of participation and responsibility are varying according to duties, such as production, group management, benefit sharing, caring of members when they got sick, visiting patients, providing meals, and participation in activities organized by other agencies. ” Workers must be the center of business and development, ethically giving priority to ownership and unity of community, emphasizing on participation and democracy,” said the group’s president.
At present, Bo Yang Batik group is in Laem Son community in the Songkha Municipality. The group is a learning center for students and women who are interest in supplementary jobs. The group consistently displays and sells products at trade fairs on behalf of Songkhla Municipality.
The main customers of the group are working women over 30 years old who are required by government policy to dress in traditional Thai Cloth and Batik or who dress for grand and elegance looking. There are also people in the community and tourists.
Non-formal Education and One Tambon One Product (OTOP) shop of the province are partners who are sale promotion of the group products. Likewise, they are important customers because they will regularly place orders for sale or use within their organization. At the same time, they will give opportunity for the group to have marketing space or participate in government events where the group will meet and are able to build relationships with customers for promoting new products.
Additionally, product development is supported by other allies such as Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya, Songkhla Vocational College, Songkhla Municipality, Non-Formal Education, and HomeNet Thailand Brand.
The Bo Yang Batik Group has received support from Songkhla Municipality from inception to the present. The Group has been registered as an occupational group by the Social Welfare Division of Songkhla Municipality. That group’s members will have the chance to participate in the development of the group’s capabilities and consistently take part in other events hosted by the municipality. Additionally, the group has obtained funding for skill development of its members and high-quality products development. They are also getting support to visit successful organizations and receiving a budget from local Health Funds for promotion of health protection of its members.
For use of public space, the group started by running activities inside the municipal building. Later, the space was narrow to accommodate a big event. The group then relocated to another location. However, the municipality offers electricity service and facilitates the use of the municipal meeting room for members’ meetings and training on various events. At the same time, the municipal helps to coordinate and facilitate the group participation in its and provincial events. Promote the group as a model for elderly and youth to visit and learn from. Including routinely updating the group on news from the Social Welfare Division of Songkhla Municipality. Encouraging group members to participate in activities outside of their jobs, such as participation in International Women’s Day events or sending group leaders to receive good person awards from the Sub-District Administration. Despite the changing of municipal officer, there has been no change in the relationship between the group and the municipality. The Songkhla Municipality also acts as an important customer, for instance, it will regularly order products from the group to use in the municipality events.
The ongoing operations and development of the group are key factors that foster collaboration between the Group and the Municipality. The group’s leaders and members have shown their volunteer minded in other municipal activities, not just as a receiver from the municipality but also as a giver in other things that the municipality or another government agency’s needs. Most importantly, the group has a clear plan and works hard to convince the municipality to incorporate their plan into the municipality development plan. As a result, it will be simple to ask for support or funding from the municipality.
Jantana Chareanviriiyapap
Homenet Thailand
April 2023
