"Ajinomoto" and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Promote Well-being Across All Ages

According to the Department of Older Persons, Thailand has the third-fastest growing aging population in Asia, following Japan and South Korea. This trend presents complex and multi-dimensional challenges at the national, societal, and individual levels. On a personal level, older adults seek happiness in various forms, with mental and emotional well-being ranked as the highest priority, followed by receiving care, maintaining good physical health, and continuing to contribute to society in meaningful ways.

Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., a global leader in promoting the "Eat Well, Live Well." philosophy, has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to support healthy living for Thais, especially older adults, by encouraging both physical and mental well-being. Together, they supported the Betong Festival, a vibrant celebration of community participation, held from May 1-4, 2025, in Betong District, Yala Province. The festival energized the community and promoted active lifestyles through a variety of engaging activities. Festival highlights included:

• The Calorie Credit Challenge (CCC) app, where participants recorded their physical activities to earn credits and redeem prizes.
• Exercise in the City, a public fitness activity that brightened Betong's streets with colorful decorations, lights, and air puppets.
• The Saturday Night Run 2025, which invited people to enjoy Betong's nighttime beauty in a fun and energetic setting.

Mr. Seksan Ngaosuwan, Assistant Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said, "Our aim goes beyond sports competition. We want to motivate people to stay active and healthy by incorporating exercise into their daily lives. The CCC platform helps create societal connections and encourages people to take proactive steps in care of their health. Small incentives, like beating challenges, earning credits, and redeeming rewards, can have a big impact. Older adults are a key demographic for us as they represent a large portion of Thailand's population, and many are not yet motivated to exercise consistently. By introducing new, engaging activities and opportunities to track their health data and progress, we're making health and fitness more enjoyable. They can also encourage friends to join, helping to build stronger and healthier communities."

"Community engagement is key to sustainability and the success factor of any sports event," said Mr. Seksan, adding, "We must ensure that local participants feel they truly 'got something back.' If the community doesn't benefit, whether in health, economic, or social terms, these activities cannot be sustained. Therefore, these three dimensions should move forward together. To make an event genuinely successful, collaboration with private sector partners like Ajinomoto adds value and energy to the activities, helping to promote a stronger society."

Mr. Benjaphon Limphonyan, Health and Nutrition Section Manager at Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd., said, "Ajinomoto recognizes the significance of Thailand's transition into a fully aged society. That's why we are committed to developing food and health innovations that help Thais 'Eat Well, Live Well.' Driven by our core expertise in AminoScience, we introduced AminoMOF, a dietary supplement rich in all nine essential amino acids, delivering a total of 3,000 milligrams, including a high 1,200 milligrams of leucine. It is specially formulated to support seniors in staying active and confident, promoting strength and mobility, and helping reduce the risk of falls. Guided by our belief that 'strong muscles bring strong minds and meaningful lives,' we emphasize that physical strength is not just about muscles, it's about the vitality needed for everyday living. This message has clearly resonated as we've seen a 236% increase in product sales and highly positive feedback from elderly consumers."

"This year, we continue our commitment to improving the quality of life for older adults by supporting the Betong Festival. With its wide range of activities, this festival brings energy and renewal to the community. Notably, this is Thailand's first event to host 110 older adults as event staff, an inspiring milestone. Ajinomoto is proud to be part of an initiative that empowers seniors to live their lives to the fullest. We also handed out 4,000 product items to over 4,000 participants and senior staff members. The Calorie Credit Challenge running activity, where participants accumulate points to exchange for prizes, helped further encourage an active lifestyle. In addition, we distributed over 2,000 cards - messages from local residents to the runners - demonstrating the heartfelt unity of the Betong community across generations," added Mr. Benjaphon.

One volunteer, Ajarn Wachira, a 77-year-old former secondary school teacher who stays active by practicing Tai Chi, shared his motivation for participating, "I was thrilled that the organizers valued the contribution of older adults. When I learned I could volunteer as a staff member, it gave me a sense of purpose. At the event, I was responsible for keying in participant names instead of using a scanner. I never felt tired, just energized and proud to be part of such a meaningful international event. My good health comes from being optimistic, eating well, sleeping well, and most importantly, practicing Tai Chi with friends who truly understand and support one another. After my retirement, this community has filled my heart."

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