Daonapa Panyawong
Homenet Thailand
April 2023

Baan Fang Min Occupational Promotion Group in Dok Khamtai Subdistrict, Dok Khamtai District, Phayao Province, was established in February 2017. It consists of 20 members who were given the opportunity to develop skills in making quilted bags by Homenet Thailand. The group’s products, which include cosmetic bags, shoulder bags, and backpacks, have received support from markets both within and outside the community and are encouraged to be sold at various exhibitions hosted by the government sector.

The COVID-19 epidemic occurred in 2019. It made orders freeze down and the government sector stopped organizing activities. Finally, they were unable to produce any products for sale across all channels because there was no market to sell products. As a result, members lack income to support their families. At the same time, the problem of social distancing and epidemic problems was one of the reasons that everyone was in a stressful situation. To replace the original occupation for the group members to continue earning income during COVID-19, the committee of Baan Fang Min Occupation Promotion consulted with HomeNet Thailand. Based on the idea that food is a basic need of everyone, the group came up with food product. By producing crispy pork rinds for sale because most northerners usually eat crispy pork rinds with Nam Prik Num (Northern Thai Green Chili Dip), or they are processing as another food. After the COVID-19 situation unfolds. Tourists can purchase crispy pork rinds for others. In addition, the group president is a food seller at the morning fresh market. So, it is good social capital for the group for trial selling products through the group president. The group organized training to make crispy pork rinds, which was sponsored by Dok KhamTai Community Development Office on July 14, 2020, and received support for materials and equipment from Mr. Jeeradej Sriwirat, who is MP. of Phayao Province in the 3rd area. When members received knowledge and production skills from training., the University of Phayao and HomeNet Thailand have provided the group with funding and equipment to enable them to produce products for sale.

At present, Baan Fang Min Occupational Promotion Group has learned and developed its own crispy pork rind recipes to gain consumer acceptance. The group sells crispy pork rinds at Mae Tam Fresh Market.

here are 3 types of crispy pork rinds that are called Sam Wai (three generations). It is easier for consumers to understand what kinds of crispy pork rinds they should buy. Firstly, Gajok crispy pork rinds, which are so small and crunchy that they are suitable for teenagers. White crispy pork rinds, which are bigger pieces. After frying, it will be white, most often put in various curries, such as banana flower curry and various salads. Therefore, they are suitable for general consumers, and another type is crispy pork rinds that use raw materials from the part that fat and meat is mixed, has no skin, soft, and is suitable for the elderly to easily eat. To promote the group’s crispy pork rinds, the University of Phayao has come to help with the design and making Sam Wai crispy pork rinds’ stickers to create a unique selling point. It also made the package more beautiful and worth buying. The group sells all three types of crispy pork rinds at retail and wholesale markets. Including mass production up to customer orders. In 2022, the group’s logo was developed by HomeNet Thailand, to build a well-known brand of crispy pork rinds. The logo has been put on the package and the labels are produced to publicize the products as well.

To reduce environmental problems in the community which are caused by the smoke from frying and wastewater from washing pork skin, Homenet Thailand has consulted with the group to move to new location out of the community. By moving the group from the Phra That Pho Ngam Temple to the area of the group president’s garden. She allowed the group to work on her land where members can build a new building in 2022. The new office of the group makes it easier for members to produce crispy pork rinds and reduce pollution problems that affect the environment in the community.

Baan Fang Min Occupational Promotion Group operates based on the principles of social solidarity economy (SSE). Focus on producing quality products, safe for health while the production process takes precautions to reduce its environmental impact such as smell from frying and wastewater from pork skin washing. The production location far from the community helping to drain wastewater into the pond for preliminary treatment.

The group is managed through participation practice, starting with group management, production process and sharing benefits with members. Crispy pork rinds will be produced three times a week, on average 12 times per month. After deducting all costs and 300 THB as monthly contribution to the group, each member will be paid about 2,000 THB in a month.

The money gathered by the group each month is used for members’ activities or helping the community when getting in trouble. In the past, the group brought survival bags to help low-income families affected by COVID-19 infections and flood victims in the community.

The challenge is the production process to obtain good quality and standards since the quality of pork skin recieving each time is inconsistent. It is difficult to manage because each part of the pork skin will have a different flavor when frying. To maintain the same quality, The group needs to develop production skills or improve quality standard. Essentially, as crispy pork rinds are a food product, to gain trust from consumers, the group needs to improve quality to meet at Food and Drug Authority-FDA Standard.

Due to the majority of the group’s members being elderly, production capacity will also be a challenge for the group. The group is unable to produce a big number of products. In contrast, the group is getting more orders every day because crispy pork rinds are inexpensive, simple to sell, and people can eat them at any time. During economic downturns, people tend to buy cheap goods therefore the group needs tools or small equipment to help in the production process. Which will help to increase production quantity, reduce work burden, or speed up the production process.

3 types of crispy pork rinds are Gajok pork rinds for teenagers.
White pork rinds for Middle Age and Soft pork rinds for the elderly.