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| CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP
RIGHT: His Majesty braves the elements whenever help is needed. Once a street dog, Thong Daeng was adopted by His Majesty to be a royal pet. Kofi Annan presents His Majesty with the first UNDP Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award. |
When UN Secretary General Kofi Annan presented His
Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej of Thailand with the first
UNDP Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award
two weeks ago, he said, "If human development is about
putting people first, there can be no better advocate for it
than His Majesty. As the world's 'Development King', His
Majesty reached out to the poorest and the most vulnerable
people of Thailand, listened to their problems, and
empowered them to take their lives into their own hands,"
said Mr Annan.
His words could not have rung more true. For six decades,
not a single day has passed in which the Thai people have
not felt His Majesty’s dedication to the poor, the vulnerable,
the sick, the young, the aged and those faceless people
on the street, and this affectionate bond between the 79-
year-old King and his 62 million subjects grows stronger
every day.
His Majesty the King is overwhelmingly admired not
only as a sovereign but as a saviour whose dedication has
maintained national stability, given the nation dignity in
the eyes of the world and improved the livelihoods of the
poor, ethnic minorities, and others who have been marginalised
by mainstream society.
Be they rural or urban, literate or illiterate, young or old,
the King's subjects all express their affection for their sovereign
in one way or another. Some enshrine the King's
portrait on an altar. Others show their support by wearing
a “Tong Daeng” T-shirt (Tong Daeng is His Majesty's
favourite dog) or a “We Love Our King” wristband.
Products like books, T-shirts and wristbands that have
been sold to raise money for the King's charities have
become bestsellers. The phenomenon only reconfirms the
enduring and ever-increasing popularity of the "Father of
the Nation" among his people.
"The public has strong faith in His Majesty because he
is a giver," Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, secretary-general of the
Chaipattana Foundation, explained. "Throughout his hardworking
life, His Majesty has done all he could do for the
people without asking anything in return. If a problem
arose in the country, His Majesty would not be reluctant to
work for a solution whether it is human, social, political or
scientific. He would do it all, as long as it relates to his
country."
Perhaps what makes this great King larger than life is his
down-to-earth disposition. Those who have been to the
King's residential palaces have often expressed their awe
over his physical surroundings. What impresses them is
not the grandeur or extravagance but the simplicity of the
spaces he inhabits.
Rather than adding to the glamour of Chitralada Palace,
His Majesty added a fish pool, a rice mill and a dairy farm.
Rather than ordering the construction of a fancy garden at
Klaikangwol Palace in Hua Hin, His Majesty permits
students from Klaikangwol School to grow vegetables in
the flowerbeds. Instead of raising a canine with a foreign
pedigree, His Majesty adopted a street dog.
"In his lofty status, His Majesty can afford anything he
desires, but he chooses to live a simple and frugal life," said
ML Usni Pramoj, a privy councillor. "There is nothing luxurious
in his palace. How he lives and eats are as simple as
you and I live or eat. Nothing exquisite. Nothing excessive.
There has never been a time that I have seen the King indulge
himself in needless luxury. Actually, a lot of rich men these
days live a far more lavish lifestyle than does our King."
His Majesty's simple lifestyle, Dr Sumet said, epitomises
the notion that those who have attained the zenith of
wisdom have fewer material needs in life. "Yet, what is
abundant for them is virtue. But then a good man without
wisdom might not be able to contribute as much."
His Majesty's virtue and wisdom have helped to create
a vision for rural development that has saved millions of
people from misery and the country from numerable crises.
During the fifth and sixth decades of his reign, His Majesty
the King has crystallised his philosophy of effective development.
New, revolutionary concepts referred to as New
Theory and the Theory of Self Sufficiency have been hailed
as solutions to the country's economic problems.
THE FIFTH DECADE: 1986-1995
By the beginning of the fifth decade of His Majesty's
reign, older established projects had progressed by leaps
and bounds and hundreds of new initiatives were being
launched each year in conjunction with the Office of the
Royal Development Projects Board (RDPB).
With RDPB assistance in coordinating the involvement
of the appropriate government agencies, His Majesty's
visualisations have been made reality. The intense and
directed activity has had a tremendous effect on rural
development. Still, as a government agency, the RDPB is
restricted by bureaucratic rules and regulations that leave
little flexibility in budgetary allocation and in providing aid
in times of emergency.
"In order to fix this shortcoming, His Majesty established
a non-governmental organisation to support the
RDPB, particularly with governmental projects that are
bound by rules and regulations, which may delay their
timely implementation," Dr Sumet said.
The NGO, called the Chaipattana Foundation, meaning
the "Victory of Development", was established in 1988 to
coincide with the celebration of His Majesty the King's
term as the longest reigning monarch in Thai history —
two years longer than King Chulalongkorn's 41 years spent
on the throne.
His Majesty the King took command as foundation president
and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was
appointed as executive chairperson. From its inception,
the Chaipattana Foundation has served society by providing
dynamic, innovative and prompt action in response to
the urgent needs of the public.
Located in Huai Bong subdistrict of Saraburi province,
the foundation’s first agricultural mission centre has allowed
officials and farmers to work together to solve problems of
agricultural development.
The Chaipattana aerator created by His Majesty the King
was launched via the foundation as well. The low-cost,
locally made Chaipattana aerator oxygenates stagnant
water, making it habitable for living creatures. In 1989, the
first model of the oxygen-enhancing aerator was installed
for trial at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital and Wat Bowon Niwet
Vihara.
The aerator has been continually improved and refined.
At present, nine models have been developed. One of them,
the Chaipattana Aerator Model RX-2, was patented under
His Majesty's name in 1993.
His Majesty's brainchild, the Chaipattana aerator is
lauded for its innovative design, minimum technological
investment and provision of maximum oxygenation to
polluted water.
His Majesty does not, however, laud technology as the
solution to every problem. In fact, modern technology is often his last resort.
"Rather than seek a technologically-based solution, His
Majesty would prefer to give priority to the application of
local wisdom to solve a problem while incurring relatively
little cost," Dr Sumet said.
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| LEFT TO RIGHT:
A huge crowd turns up to mark the Kanjanapisek Golden Jubilee in 1996. His Majesty came up with the idea of using vetiver grass to prevent soil erosion. Thais line up to buy Thong Daeng books and t-shirts. |
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CLOCKWISE, FROM
TOP LEFT:
His Majesty speaks to
officials about irrigation. His Majesty is an expert on Thailand’s geography and topography. His Majesty’s accumulated knowledge is vast. An inspection of Klong Makkasan. His Majesty examines a model of the elevated road over Borom Ratchonnanee Road in Taling Chan. Developing solutions to the problem of flooding in Bangkok. |
"His Majesty's solution to the problem of soil erosion is
a perfect example of this. Where technocrats would have
employed heavy equipment such as tractors to construct
erosion-preventing borders for terraced rice fields, His
Majesty grew vetiver grass. Tractors are a costly technology.
They consume oil and waste the limited resources of the
farmers. Vetiver grass is grown naturally and costs almost
nothing."
The use of vetiver as a "living wall" to prevent soil erosion
was tested in Pa Hadtsai Yai in Pran Buri, Prachuap Khiri
Khan province. The grass has proved to be cost effective
and soil enriching. Easily grown, vetiver grass reduces the
speed of water runoff, traps silt and prevents gully erosion.
It also prevents water-borne soil and toxic substances from
flowing into the groundwater.
His Majesty's use of vetiver grass for soil and water conservation
earned him prestigious awards in 1993 from the International
Erosion Control Association (IECA) and from the
World Bank.
According to Dr Sumet, His Majesty believes in empowering
people so that they can stand on their own two feet.
His Majesty calls this process of empowerment "a burst from
within". Community is strengthened, given the capacity to
select appropriate mechanisms for change, while holding
on to time tested and useful methods for surviving and
prospering.
"Let them grow,” said Dr Sumet of His Majesty’s vision.
“Wait until they are well prepared to take the next step of
development. If one throws anything into their community
— money, road access or technology — too much and
too soon, the process of steady progress will be interrupted
or spoiled completely. Villagers who have never seen a
huge amount of money will use it on superfluous endeavours
until they are left with nothing."
While others start by setting up a hypothesis — a theory
that they assume and start working to the final solution —
"His Majesty works the other way around,’’ said Dr Sumet.
“With profound experiences made through trial and error,
His Majesty gathers information first and then analyses,
synthesizes and crystallises it into a theory that is effective."
His Majesty has revolutionised a new approach to development
crystallised from nearly 50 years of experience
actively engaged in development practice. He calls it the
"The New Theory". He delivered a comprehensive definition
of his concept to the Cabinet, government officials
and the public in his 1994 birthday address. In it, he
outlined a three-part agricultural plan designed to serve as
a guideline for farmers to achieve self sufficiency.
The first stage operates at the individual level. Here, His
Majesty stresses income diversification through division of
each individual family plot to support a variety of economic
activities. The ratio of 30:30:30:10 represents the rough
proportions of land that should be allocated for a pond, a
rice field, fruit and vegetable patches, and housing, animals'
quarters and other purposes, respectively.
The nature of this numeric recipe shows His Majesty's
inventiveness. Rather than being an inflexible set of instructions
to follow verbatim, the 30:30:30:10 prescription takes
the form of an adaptable strategy for farm and household
management. Whereas cash crop farmers generally get
paid only once or at most twice a year when they sell their
produce to the market, farmers applying the New Theory
can draw on diverse sources of income, with money coming
in more frequently as different crops mature.
Also, he proposed a three-tiered irrigation system that
utilises individual ponds, a community reservoir and a larger
basin. These small and medium-scale water storage facilities
act as "rain water regulators". When the water level
drops too low in one of the water collection facilities, it is
replenished from the next one up through extensive pipeline
systems.
The next two stages of the New Theory scheme reflect
His Majesty's holistic thinking. After each individual is
empowered, His Majesty advocates shifting focus to the
strengthening of the entire community and then to collaboration
with sectors outside the community. The second
phase proposes that farmers form themselves into groups
or cooperatives to help one another in the areas of production,
marketing, education, social welfare and development
and religion.
The third and last stage envisions fair and equal partnerships
between the private sector and the community.
The King is hopeful that farmers, with their collective
bargaining power, will no longer suffer from price manipulation
when selling their produce or buying the consumer
products they need.
Most farmers who have adopted His Majesty's New
Theory approach of farming have experienced a signifi-
cant improvement in their livelihood and financial security.
"Now I have fewer expenses, since most of what I eat
comes from my own farm. I have to buy fish sauce, salt and
a couple of other things I can't make myself, but that is all,"
Jantaphoon Sipamai, a farmer in Kalasin, said. Others
expressed their gratitude not only for a new-found wealth
but for a life philosophy as well.
Self-sufficiency is not just a matter of having enough to
eat. According to farmer Wiboon Khemchalerm, when farmers
become clear-headed, they often acquire a better insight
into their own lives. He describes this process as sammaditthi(
right understanding). Called the Eightfold Noble Path
in Buddhism, it is a key element leading to the end of
suffering.
"I think the main obstacle obstructing 'development' is
that we run after desires all the time," Wiboon said. "We've
been led to believe that life will become perfect if only we
possess this and that. But in reality, it's never so."
Sawai Panyoyai, a Chiang Mai farmer who has switched
to growing pesticide-free vegetables, explains that he may
be making less money than before, but his family and
community now enjoy better health and a more peaceful
way of life.
"Before, my wife had to see the doctor every year," said
Sawai. "Now things are much better, and our community
no longer suffers from the effects of toxic residues. Our
lives are much happier and more secure."
In the field of education, His Majesty revolutionised learning
by bringing the classroom to the living room. By broadcasting
teachers live on television, His Majesty has exposed
more than two million people to distance learning education.
The Distance Learning Foundation, launched on his
birthday on December 5, 1995, now reaches 2,700 schools
in Bangkok, and over 3,000 schools nationwide. It also
reaches an additional two million people from neighbouring
Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Vietnam.
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| LEFT TO RIGHT: The New Theory focuses on self-sufficiency for farmers. When drought hit vast areas of the country in 2005, His Majesty personally commanded rain-making operations. Sustenance in one’s own backyard is the philosophy behind the New Theory. The King’s Rajaprajanugroh Foundation reached out to the victims of the tsunami. |
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| His Majesty the King has explored every nook and cranny of Thailand in order to gain understanding of the country’s needs. |
After a 15-year hiatus from musical composition that began in 1979, His Majesty wrote two more pieces in December 1994. The last of his 48 compositions, Menu Kai, was written in honour of the 72nd birthday of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana on May 6, 1995.
THE SIXTH DECADE: 1996-2006
The sixth decade of His Majesty's reign began with the unexpected
and dramatic collapse of the economy following a rapid
devaluation of the baht. Millions of Thais lost their jobs. Others were
heavily indebted. The illusory affluent society crashed and hit
rock bottom.
When the King first unveiled the comprehensive New Theory
during his birthday speeches in 1994 and 1995, most listeners
tended to interpret it superficially as a presentation of ideas suited
only to assist backward farmers.
In the midst of the ongoing economic crisis, His Majesty's
concepts seemed to be getting wider publicity, though not necessarily
understanding.
Both the New Theory and self-sufficiency theory became instant
buzzwords following his royal speeches in 1997 and 1998. Demonstration
plots adorned with ponds that were precisely uniform in
size and shape materialised nationwide as showcases of royaldevised
farming techniques.
Millions of baht in funding, much of it borrowed from overseas,
were donated in an attempt to translate the King's ideas into
action. Politicians immediately incorporated the buzzwords "self
reliance" and "sustainability" into their campaign platforms. In
academic and business circles there was enthusiastic debate
about a self-sufficient economy. Advertising campaigns on television
and radio blared messages about the new approach to
farming and managing the economy. In an article entitled "Selfsufficiency
and Sustainable Development", Professor Saneh
Chamarik emphasised the need to evaluate the concept of selfsufficiency
from a holistic and integrated perspective.
"Shall we think about this self-sufficient economy as just another
technique — an ad hoc measure for the times of currency devaluation,
financial bankruptcy, soaring unemployment, poverty,
and a host of other social problems — while waiting in belief that
the economy will pick up and resume along the same path it
followed?" the well-respected scholar asked.
"Or should we seriously carry out this concept as the principle
of a genuine reform leading to sustainability? In fact, underlying
the economic war we are witnessing now is a battle of ideologies."
In retrospect, His Majesty's proposals contain a succinct critique
of dominant economic development strategies. From a Buddhist
perspective, His Majesty's vision provides a fresh and intriguing
diagnosis of what it was that brought Thailand to a state of crisis.
Embedded in the analysis is a set of solutions that can help to alleviate
the mass suffering that has afflicted much of society.
"I have repeatedly said that striving to become a 'tiger' is not
our main concern," said His Majesty on December 4, 1997. "What's
important for us is to have a decent standard of living and suffi-
cient food to eat, as well as to maintain a self-sufficient economy.
The key word, 'sufficient', here implies that one should aim at
becoming self-reliant."
Basically, the New Theory with its philosophy of self-sufficiency
differs from the mainstream thinking in three fundamental ways.
First, His Majesty points out that the root cause of problems has
more to do with worldviews than economic factors.
Second, the monarch's public emphasis on small-scale farming
implies that restoring and maintaining the strength of the
agricultural sector is a necessary condition for reversing the
current economic downturn. And, finally, the idea of self-suffi-
ciency indicates that the local community must attain a certain
degree of financial autonomy before they enter the market economy.
As he emphasised self-reliance, His Majesty also explored
potential alternative energy sources. In 1986, His Majesty set up a
small refinery at Chitralada Palace to produce gasohol, a mix of
petrol and methyl alcohol produced from plant-based resources.
Continuous research has been jointly carried out with the Petroleum
Authority of Thailand. Gasohol finally hit the market in 2005
at the same time as sharp rises in oil prices were shaking the
market.
Another pilot project was launched in the year 2000 to experiment
with the substitution of diesel fuel with pure palm oil at a
prototype factory at Au Luek, Krabi province. The test was satisfactory
and findings show that pure palm oil could provide a
viable substitute for between 1 and 1.5 tonnes of diesel fuel a day.
On the urban front, His Majesty launched several initiatives
aimed at alleviating Bangkok's severe traffic problem. Among
them were planned expansions of Ratchadapisek and Ratchadamnoen
Nok roads.
One of the most successful projects was the construction of an
elevated highway along the Boromratchonnanee Road, which
was completed in two years (1996-1998), a record time for a project
of that scale. The upper-level road is now handling about 6,000
cars a day, while the ground-level road has a handling capacity of
between 60,000 and 70,000 cars a day.
When The Story of Mahajanaka, written by His Majesty the
King, was released in 1996, it was noted that the metaphoric
messages of the story held a special and timely relevance to the
recent economic downturn. Scholars and social thinkers noted that
the royal literary piece provided important guidelines for living in
a society seemingly driven by greed, anger and ignorance. The
story reinforces the King's visions of self-reliance and his formula
for economic self sufficiency.
The Story of Mahajanaka is based on a jataka, a Buddhist religious
tale from the Holy Tripitaka. It is a story about perseverance,
one of the 10 principal virtues practised by a Bodhisattva, King
Mahajanaka, and how it brought progress and prosperity to the
city of Mithila.
"Every time I read this book, I don't just see King Mahajanaka,"
former prime minister Anand Panyarachun said. "I see the story
as an allegory of His Majesty's life and missions. Our King has
built his baramee [charisma] through his deeds. The basis of what
has led His Majesty to the right and noble path are his patience
and perseverance."
Mahajanaka's deeds, said the former prime minister, parallel
His Majesty's in that both show us that fighting obstacles, whatever
they are, must begin with pure perseverance, not praying for
luck or help from deities. "His Majesty has done this every day, for
his people's benefit."
The public expressed their appreciation of the King and his
message by turning the book into a bestseller.
In February 2002, the public once again demonstrated its love
for the monarch by rushing out to buy a T-shirt displaying a picture
taken by His Majesty of his pet dog, Tong Daeng, and her litter of
puppies. Public demand for the Tong Daeng T-shirt was ignited with
the release of a picture of His Majesty and members of the royal
family all wearing the shirt as they accompanied His Majesty
home from Siriraj Hospital after undergoing prostate surgery. Ten
months after the T-shirt was launched, the Tong Daeng polo shirt
broke all sales records as 300,000 were sold almost overnight.
Apparently, the fact that His Majesty adopted a humble stray
puppy as the royal pet dog touched the heart of the general public
so much that when His Majesty wrote a book called The Story of
Tong Daeng, late in 2002, it once again became a best-selling item
with 200,000 copies of the animated version being sold in a single
day.
In the book, His Majesty praises Tong Daeng's traits of gratefulness
and respectfulness as "different from many others who,
after having become important personalities, might treat with
contempt someone of lower status who, in fact, should be the object
of gratitude."
By adopting Tong Daeng, a puppy born in the street near the
Medical Development Centre Clinic in Bangkok's Wang Thonglang
district, His Majesty showed that with a little help, stray dogs can
be taught all the commendable qualities one could expect from
any pet.
"Most adopted stray dogs are usually humble and exceptionally
faithful to their owners, as if they are grateful for the kindness
they receive. Moreover, they are not inferior to imported dogs in
intelligence. Some are attractive or have a distinctive smart look,
like Tong Daeng," he wrote.
The King added that if the authorities helped, more people would
be willing to adopt the numerous strays roaming the country.
In 2004, marathon cyclist Lance Armstrong, who has seven
Tour de France wins under his belt despite being a cancer victim,
began wearing a yellow wristband as part of his "Live Strong" cancer
awareness campaign. Knock-off copies of the wrist bands started
to appear in Thailand almost immediately as fashion accessories
and to support various campaigns. The bestseller by far in Thailand
have the words "We Love Our King" printed on it. One million
wristbands benefiting the King's charity sold out almost immediately,
raising a record 100 million baht within a few weeks.
Although in his late seventies, His Majesty is far from retiring
from his commitment to help his subjects. According to Dr Sumet,
with the help of modern technology, His Majesty still closely
monitors over 3,000 projects administered under the Royal Development
Project Board and keeps tabs on situations that might affect
the well being of the general public.
His Majesty's contributions over the six decades of his reign go
far beyond what would be required of any monarch. His
Rajaprachanukroh Foundation was among the first organisations
to reach the 2004 tsunami victims, especially orphaned children.
When the drought devastated farmlands in 2005, His Majesty took
command of rain-making operations and greatly alleviated the
effects of the drought.
This year, following the disasterous floods in the North, His
Majesty's Rajaprachanukroh Foundation has, in addition to providing
other immediate relief, taken in young orphans who lost their
parents in the tragedy.
The meaning of the name Mahajanaka is "Great Father". Like
the main character in The Story of Mahajanaka, said Dr Prawase,
"His Majesty is the great father of the Thai people."
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| LEFT TO
RIGHT:
His Majesty’s vision in rural development has steered government officials in the right direction. HM the King’s Chaipattana Aerator effectively alleviates water pollution at a low cost. Despite his royal status, His Majesty sets a good example for others with his plain clothing and camera that he uses for work. |