SX2026 Highlights Sustainable Innovation with 'Cho Cha-khram' Dessert
Sustainability Expo 2026 features a youth-led initiative transforming local plants into healthy, salt-free traditional Thai desserts.
The Sustainability Expo 2026 (SX2026), recognized as the largest sustainability event in the ASEAN region, has showcased a unique culinary project titled 'Home-style Royal Recipe: Cho Cha-khram.' During the SX IDEA LAB session, educator Duangporn Pornkitticharoen guided youth participants in exploring the potential of the Cha-khram plant, a local coastal shrub, to create traditional Thai sweets without the addition of salt. This initiative aims to modernize local wisdom by integrating indigenous ingredients into contemporary, health-conscious culinary practices. For travelers and residents, this event highlights a growing trend in Thailand toward sustainable gastronomy and the preservation of local biodiversity through creative food innovation. By transforming humble, locally sourced plants into high-value products, the project demonstrates how traditional knowledge can be adapted to meet modern health standards while supporting local economies. While the expo provides a platform for these ideas, it remains to be seen how these specific salt-free recipes will be scaled for commercial availability or integrated into broader culinary markets. Visitors interested in sustainable food practices may find such initiatives indicative of the evolving landscape of Thai cuisine, where environmental consciousness meets cultural heritage.