Local Alike

Local Alike connects travellers with more than 200 communities across over 60 Thai provinces, from mangrove restoration and homestays in Krabi to forest treks, organic farm stays and textile workshops in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Every experience is co-designed with the community hosting it, so tours vary widely, but all are led by local people, with income flowing directly into the villages visited.

Founded in 2011 by social entrepreneur Somsak Boonkam, the model began with a single village in Chiang Rai that grew from two homestays to 20 within three years, funding new infrastructure entirely from tourism income. The model has since scaled to a nationwide network generating over 120 million baht directly for local communities, with more than 20,000 travellers taking part. Local hosts decide what to offer, how tours run and how income is distributed, keeping ownership with the community.