SOLGEN Opens a Grand Outdoor Classroom
at Ao Aiyo Forest, Enhancing Life Skills
through Experiential Learning

Outdoor

The School of Languages and General Education (SOLGEN), Walailak University, led by Ms. Piyanuch Khunsawat, instructor of GED65-147: Camping for Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation, organized a one-day trip under the theme “Getting lost wastes time, but getting lost in the forest with SOLGEN is time well spent.” The activity featured a “Nature Study Forest Walk” at Ao Aiyo Forest in Ban Nam Tok Subdistrict, Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.

Ao Aiyo Forest is a community forest that has received the prestigious Green Globe Award for two consecutive years. The event was honored by the presence of Mr. Manop Prapertchop, Deputy Chief Executive of Ban Nam Tok Subdistrict Administrative Organization, along with local leaders and Mr. Boonlert Phansanit, President of the Ao Aiyo Forest Conservation Club and a respected local sage. Mr. Boonlert shared valuable knowledge about local herbal plants along the 2-kilometer trekking route, which took approximately two hours to complete.

Following the forest walk, students explored the geographical features of Ban Nam Tok community and participated in a kayaking activity through “Tham Wang Phraya Phichai Songkhram Cave,” a community-based tourism site located along the border between Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, and Ratsada District, Trang Province. The site is particularly suitable for first-time students with limited trekking experience.

This activity is part of the core components of GED65-147, a free elective course for third- and fourth-year students in the General Education program. In the second semester of the 2025 academic year, the course attracted 209 enrolled students, reflecting strong interest in experiential learning.

The General Education program emphasizes holistic life skills development beyond the traditional classroom setting. Through carefully designed outdoor activities, students are encouraged to explore, discover new experiences, and cultivate self-management skills through engagement with nature.

The second activity of the course will be a three-day, two-night camping program at the community-based tourism site “Phu Than Kaew” in Khao Phanom District and at Hat Noppharat Thara National Park in Mueang District, Krabi Province. Two cohorts are scheduled to participate in February 2026.