Study Tour - The Mindanao Cooperative Leaders' Visit To Thailand

Study Tour- What is It?
A study tour is a travel event with specific learning pursuits. The learning aims of each study tour vary, but are always spelled out in the trip plan that is distributed to each learner. Study tours give emphasis to experiential learning and offer both group and self-directed activities that enable learners to explore new territories, cultures, and people. Usually, a study tour is designed to be both enjoyment and instructive.


In most situations, the study tour participants' transportaion, accomodation and other tour aspects are integrated in the tour packgaes arranged by travel tours agencies.
Study Tour- Why SOEMCO Was Involved In It?
In its desires to expose the leaders of its primary cooperative-affiliates to best performing cooperatives in Asia, the Mindanao Alliance of Self-Help Societies-Southern Philippines Educational Cooperative Center (MASS-SPECC) based in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines had organized the September 23-25, 2010 Study tour on Credit Cooperatives in Thailand.
Being one of the uppermost performing affiliates of MASS-SPECC, the Socorro Empowered People's Cooperative (SOEMCO), an institution which is deeply close to the island life of the populace of Bucas Grande Island in Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines had been invited to send participants to the tour with me as part-time Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman Doroteo T. Galavia being dispatched by the Board as representatives to the tour.
Study Tour - How It Was Being Carried Out?
The study tour, participated in by 40 cooperative leaders from MASS-SPECC and its 13 primary cooperative-affiliates, began with the two and a half hour air travel from Manila to Bangkok in the evening of September 22, 2010. Mr. Prakob Srirai, a tour guide being deployed by the travel tours operator, awaited us at the arrival hallway and facilitated our transfer from the Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Khurana Inn in Rajparop Road, Bangkok, Thailand.
On the second day of our study tour, and with the proficient facilitation of our tour guide Mr. Prakob whom we fondly called "Tom Cruise," we visited the Klong Chan Credit Union (KCCU) Limited and we were ushered to its palatial head office in No. 1 Soi Sereethai 7, Klongchan Bangkapi, City of Bangkok. Afterwards, we visited the Credit Union League of Thailand (CULT) in Sukhapiban 3 as well as the Association of Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) office in Srinakarin Road of the same city. In the evening, we joined the Chao Phraya Princess Cruise and enjoyed the tour of the Chao Phraya River.
Our third day of the tour were capped with a visit to the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Thailand situated in Nonthaburi Province as well as a travel to Samphan Nakorn Pathom Province for a visit at St. Peter's Credit Union (SPCU). Afterwards, we watched the breath-taking crocodile wrestling and spectacular acrobatic elephant show in Samphan, west of Bangkok. We were having dinner at the 76th floor of the Bai Yoke Sky Hotel, the tallest building in Thailand and savored the entire city of Bangkok at the Revolving View Point in the 84th Floor.
In each of the tour undertakings, the tour guide had excellently performed his job. In the morning of the last day of our study tour, we were having a tour at the thoroughly and intricately decorated Grand Palace as well as a boat ride at the Chao Phraya River. Subsequently, we were ushered by our tour guide back to the airport in the evening.