BANGKOK - Six years ago, Somsak "Pai" Boonkam drew up a plan with two villages in northern Thailand for tourists to stay with local families and immerse themselves in hill-tribe culture. The aim was for the villagers to see some financial benefit from their country's multibillion-dollar tourism industry.

Pai was sure it would be a hit with tour operators in Bangkok - but he was wrong. "They weren't even interested to go and inspect the places," he said.

That pushed the former engineer, now 34, to set up Local Alike, a travel consultancy that promotes sustainable tourism in 70 villages.