Thirteen years ago, the land in San Pa Tong was nothing more than a flat, sun-baked rice paddy—heavy with waterlogged clay and devoid of shade. When Teerarat Boripanthakul, a dedicated clinical psychologist with over 30 years at Chiang Mai University, stood on that plot, he saw a canvas for human peace and ecological balance. Guided by deep intuition and traditional Thai building wisdom, he designed a spacious family home on the land, hand-crafted a second earthen adobe house, and planted multi-tiered canopy layers. Today, that former paddy is a thriving polyculture sanctuary—living proof of David Holmgren’s RetroSuburbia framework.
When you join us for this two-day workshop, you aren't just visiting a garden; you are stepping inside a practical ecosystem. You will tour both structures on the land to experience firsthand how traditional design, modern family living, and thermal earth mass regulate heat naturally. Mealtime becomes an interactive adventure led by acclaimed writer and culinary culturalist Prae Jaru. Together, you will forage fresh perennial greens, edible shoots, and flowers directly from Teerarat’s canopy, using her Krua Raeron (Nomadic Kitchen) concept to cook vibrant Northern and Southern Thai heritage dishes that celebrate true household self-reliance.
To connect your local earth to the wider world, certified permaculture teacher and Rotary Peace Fellow Spencer Leung bridges grassroots action with systemic change. Alongside Teerarat, Spencer will guide you through live interactive labs—such as converting excess garden biomass into soil-enhancing biochar using a smokeless Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) gasifier. You will learn how this process offers an alternative to open burning, sequesters carbon directly into the ground, and builds long-term soil fertility. You’ll discover how household resilience nurtures peace of mind and prepares you to join the global movement ahead of the International Permaculture Conference in November 2026.
You won't leave with just abstract ideas. On Day 2, our interactive design studio helps you translate every lesson onto a map of your own home, garden, or rental block. You will walk away with a personalised "First 90 Days" action plan, empowered with the practical tools, culinary wisdom, and confidence to transform your own living space into a resilient haven.
The workshop will be conducted in both English & Thai / การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการจะดำเนินการทั้งในภาษาอังกฤษและภาษาไทย
2-DAY PROGRAM AT A GLANCE
DAY 1: Context, Energy & Soil
• Permaculture Ethics & Traditional Thai Wisdom
• Passive Cooling: Double Roofs & Adobe Mass
• Soil Biology: Paddy Clay vs. Forest Humus
• TLUD Gasifier Biochar Burn & Inoculation
DAY 2: Design, Food & Movement
• Psychology of Self-Reliance & Wellbeing
• Retrosuburban Zone Mapping for Small Blocks
• Interactive Design Studio & Peer Critique
• Pathway to IPC 2026: Global Permaculture
LIVE DEMOS & EXPERIENCES
Garden Foraging & Cooking
Harvest edible leaves, shoots, and flowers with Prae Jaru across the 13-year forest, then prepare lunch together via Krua Raeron.
Natural Building Showcase
Tour Teerarat’s hand-built adobe house to experience passive temperature control firsthand.
TLUD Gasifier Biochar Demo
Burn dry tree prunings smokelessly in a Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) gasifier, quench the coals, and inoculate biochar for soil health.
Hands-On Design Studio
Map your own home or rental block with feedback from Spencer and Teerarat.
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS
Teerarat Boripanthakul, a retired clinical psychologist, transformed a flat rice field into a 13-year polyculture sanctuary featuring a hand-built adobe home and traditional passive cooling.
Prae Jaru (Prae Jaru Thongkliang), a renowned Thai author and poet (Delicious Reading, Joyful Eating), brings her Krua Raeron (Nomadic Kitchen) concept to explore local culinary traditions, nature-centred living, and creative expression.
Spencer Leung is a Certified Permaculture Teacher, Rotary Peace Fellow, and Founder of GO Organics, bridging local action with global ecological peacebuilding.
Date, Time & Cost
Dates: Sept 26-27, 2026 | Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM Daily
Location: Peace Culture Foundation, Hang Dong (Baan Suan Luang Learning Centre)
Google Map Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6DuJVK5tmRp19ttCA
Investment: 2,500B per participant (Incl. organic lunches, course materials & biochar sample)
Register HERE: https://forms.gle/fuMuVr6bRDXAA54E9
For more information, email or send a Line message to: https://lin.ee/5xRroSHm