PHUKET: Phuket officials have joined a community enterprise campaign to promote sweets made from locally grown pineapples as gifts for Chinese New Year. The campaign aims to help struggling local residents make an income as the economic crisis from the pandemic continues.
The campaign, held annually and now in its seventh year, is called “Ong Lai Po Pi Peng Aaan”, or “Phuket pineapple brings fortune”.
Joining the promotion push are leading Phuket officials and business figures, including rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation (PPAO or OrBorJor) and Thanusak Phungdej, among others.
The campaign was launched by Pracharath Rak Samakkee Phuket Co Ltd, the Phuket-based social enterprise formed under the national project “Pracharath Rak Samakkee Social Enterprise (Thailand) Company Ltd”, which provides an online platform for small vendors sell their goods, services and produce (see here).
“Ong Lai” is the name of a pineapple called by ethnic Chinese in Phuket (Peranankan). Southern Thais call the “Phuket Pineapple”, which was originally introduced to the island from Penang, “Ya Nat”, explained the press launch, posted online by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket).
Supporting the drive is Signature of Phuket, a local initiative to support Phuket businesses and communities.
“Phuket pineapples, popular for being big, crispy, sweet and fragrant, are also referred to locally as good for health and beauty,” a representative of Signature of Phuket told The Phuket News.
“Besides being a favorite food and fruit, Ong Lai is also used to pay homage to the gods on the Chinese New Year because Ong Lai also means good fortune,” the representative added.
“We are joined together from all sectors. The campaign aims to help create an identity for Phuket and generate income for the community. The money [from the campaign] goes back to the community/pineapple growers, every baht,” the representative added.
Each gift box contains two pineapples, and costs B99. Home delivery costs B50 extra per box.
The gift boxes are available until Jan 30.
To order, people transfer payment to:
Account name: Ms Kwannapatsorn Chantalay
Bank: Siam Commercial Bank
Account No: 4068027375
Anyone interested can order via Signature of Phuket’s Facebook page or call 081-2624799 until Jan 30.
Source: The Phuket News
