Uthai thani: Minister Sabida opened the pilgrimage route along the Sakae Krang River in Uthai Thani Province, aiming to drive the cultural economy and generate income for communities from religious and cultural resources.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sabida Thaiseth, Minister of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of the 'Alms Giving Ceremony on the Waterway along the Sakae Krang River' and the 'Following the Path of Faith: A Pilgrimage Route along the Sakae Krang River in Uthai Thani Province' activities, under the Religious Tourism Route Project for the fiscal year 2026. Attendees included Mr. Chaiyapol Suk-iam, Director-General of the Department of Religious Affairs; Mr. Sombat Trisak, Governor of Uthai Thani Province; Ms. Lipikarn Kamlangchai, Inspector-General of the Ministry of Culture; Ms. Panatcha Thaiseth, Mayor of Uthai Thani City; heads of government agencies; community leaders; citizens; and members of the media.
Ms. Sabida Thaiseth emphasized that the Ministry of Culture is working under the concept of "Thai Thai: Empowering Culture for Better Living," leveraging cultural capital, religion, wisdom, and Thai identity for national development. The ministry aims to promote culture as a "strategic capital" that can create tangible and added value for the country through the development of a cultural economy, thereby creating jobs, generating income, and enhancing the potential of Thai cultural communities and industries.
The Minister highlighted religious tourism as a key mechanism for driving the cultural economy, leveraging religious capital, faith, community lifestyles, and cultural heritage to create economic value. This effort promotes learning, morality, ethics, and the preservation of local identity, particularly in secondary cities with significant potential in religious and cultural aspects.
Uthai Thani Province is considered a model area with readiness in terms of religion, culture, community lifestyle, and natural resources, especially the unique way of life along the Sakae Krang River. The Department of Religious Affairs developed the "Sakae Krang River Waterway Pilgrimage Route" to connect important religious sites, cultural learning centers, communities, and natural tourist attractions. This creates a tourism experience that reflects religious and cultural values while generating economic opportunities for local communities.
Participants at the event joined in offering alms to monks on the water along the Sakae Krang River, a long-standing cultural tradition. They also visited important religious sites in Uthai Thani province, including Wat Chantharam (Wat Tha Sung), Wat Phichai Puranaram, Wat Uposatharam, and Wat Sangkas Rattanakiri, which are centers of faith and sources of historical, artistic, and cultural knowledge.
Additionally, the project "Families Carry Baskets, Faith Fills the Merit, Support the Community" was integrated to encourage visits to temples, study of religious principles, and support for community products, generating income and stimulating the grassroots economy.
The route connects to key tourist attractions in Uthai Thani province, such as Huai Pa Tat Valley, Saw Hai Market, and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, promoting interconnected tourism in dimensions of religion, culture, and nature, adding value and distributing income to local people.
The Ministry of Culture plans to continue developing religious tourism routes nationwide to elevate religious and cultural capital as a driving force for the country's cultural economy, creating jobs, generating income, fostering pride in Thai identity, and strengthening Thai communities and society sustainably.