This is a piece of our running series of updates directly from our Biochar project partners, written from their own experiences and in their own words. Today, we hear from Nui and the Wongphai team who are turning bamboo leftover into Biochar in Prachin Buri, Thailand. 
 April 2025
Saranrat (Nui) Tanthiptham, Co-founder & COO of Wongphai Co., Ltd:

The first three months of 2025 have been a special time for our team. Not just because of what we’ve done, but because we’ve been able to work with less worry and more focus. This is thanks to Planboo, who’ve had our back in securing offtakes for the credits.

Because of this support, we’ve had stable income to keep making biochar, pay fair wages to our team, and cover the cost of bamboo and other materials. It gave us peace of mind and allowed us to put more energy into creating real impact, trying new ideas, and working more with our community.

Here are just three highlights from the past three months — a small part of everything that’s happening on the ground.

1. Using Biochar to Prevent Landslides

We are working with Kasetsart University on a new research project in the mountains of Northern Thailand. In these areas, landslides happen often during the rainy season and can block roads and endanger people living in remote villages.

The goal of this research is to use biochar to help hold the soil in place. When we mix biochar into the soil and plant bamboo trees, it helps strengthen the roots and protect the land from sliding downhill.

If this research is successful, the researcher can use this method to stop erosion, restore damaged forest land, and prevent landslides in many other places. It’s a simple and natural solution to a serious problem — and one that can also help capture carbon and improve the soil.

2. Replacing Plastic with Bamboo Baskets

At our production site, we used to use plastic baskets. Now, we are switching to baskets made from woven bamboo.

These bamboo baskets are made by older members of the community — both women and men — who often don’t have many job opportunities. This gives them income and brings back traditional bamboo weaving skills. Some young people have even started learning to weave because they see it can become a job.

And when these baskets are old and no longer usable, we don’t throw them away. We use them to make biochar. This is a great example of a full-circle, zero-waste system that supports both people and the planet.

3. Sharing Knowledge with a Visitor from Laos

This quarter, we welcomed Phang, a young man from Laos, to learn about our work. He spent time with us learning everything from bamboo harvesting, drying, and biochar production to how we apply it to farms.

In Laos, many farmers burn leftover crops in the open air, which creates PM2.5 air pollution and releases carbon into the atmosphere. It’s also a lower-income country, where people often don’t have access to better alternatives — even if they want them.

We hope Phang can take what he learned back to Laos and start a small biochar project using the same agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned. If he succeeds, it could inspire others in the region. We believe that sharing knowledge, not just technology, is a powerful way to create change.

Biochar’s Impact on the Land

We continue to see real change in the areas where biochar is used:

  • The soil is softer and easier to work with.
  • Farmers are growing more food with less need for chemicals.
  • Soil holds more water, even during dry seasons.
  • More and more farmers are asking to try biochar on their land.

These results are difficult to measure with just data — but we see them, and we hear them in the stories from the people we work with. And it’s only possible because we’ve had the support to keep showing up and doing the work — day by day, season by season.

Looking Ahead

As we continue through 2025, we are already planning for the years ahead — 2026 and 2027. Our main hope is not about growing bigger, but about keeping the project alive and stable.

Imagine people who used to have no income, or who only had work seasonally. If Wongphai can guarantee that carbon credits will continue to be purchased in 2026 and 2027, it gives our team hope. It means people who work with us can plan their lives, support their families, and feel proud of their role in fighting climate change.

We’re not just producing carbon removal credits. We’re creating steady jobs, supporting older people and rural communities, helping farmers use fewer chemicals, and building a more sustainable future — all through bamboo, one of the fastest-growing and most climate-friendly plants on Earth.

Thank you for believing in us. Thank you for helping us share this story.

With gratitude,
Nui