Flash floods. Perennial droughts. Poor health or lack of education. In different regions, many poor Thais still suffer from natural and social imbalances. Improving their living conditions requires not only physical development work but also creative and forward-looking thinking. During the six decades of his reign, His Majesty the King has come up with creative and practical ideas to tackle his subjects’ problems. The following are highlights of some of the more than 2,000 projects initiated by His Majesty.

CLOCKWISE, FROM RIGHT: His Majesty the King examines a model of the 1,250-million-baht elevated road over Borom Ratchonnanee Road in Taling Chan. Under a new concept of self-sufficiency, farmers are suggested to grow not only rice but also fruits and vegetables. Fish farming at royal development study centres provides farmers with choices, so they can select agricultural methods that fit their needs.

ROYAL PLOUGHING CEREMONY
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony dates back to the Sukhothai era. The ceremony, which involves distribution of unhusked rice to the public, aims at uplifting the spirit of rice farmers. It was temporarily halted after the 1932 revolution. Realising the positive effect the rite has on farming communities, His Majesty the King revived the ancient rite in 1960.

“Farmers know well that spiritual propriety is very important in farm work. It augments peoples’ morale. And if they join in spirit, they as a group will create a really powerful force,” His Majesty said in a 1981 speech.

EXPERIMENTAL PADDY FIELDS
In his attempt to develop rice varieties that best suit local conditions, His Majesty gave up a part of his Chitralada Palace for use as an experimental rice field. The rice research, begun in1961, is conducted by the Department of Agriculture. At present lowland and highland varieties are grown.

MODEL RICE MILL
His Majesty’s countless trips to provinces around Thailand have made him understand that farmers remain poor and indebted because the price of unhusked rice, which they sell, is much lower than the milled rice they buy. Instead of hiring commercial rice mills to process their rice, His Majesty advocates that farmers get together to procure communal rice mills.

With an initial investment of 50,000 baht, His Majesty set such a mill up on the Royal Palace compound as an example. The model mill demonstrates His Majesty’s care for the environment. Residues from the mill are recycled. Parts of the husks are mixed with cattle manure to make organic fertiliser. The remaining amount is pressed into solid fuel. Rice bran, meanwhile, is mixed to make feed for cattle and fish.

CHITRALADA PALACE DAIRY PRODUCTS

A visitor to Chitralada Palace once commented that it may be the only king’s residence in the world to be adorned with fish ponds, demonstration rice fields, a cattle barn, a rice mill and several small factories.

Among the monarch’s many “experiments” in agriculture, the Chitralada Palace dairy products appear to be the most widely known. From a small barn opened in 1962, the dairy operation has developed into a full-fledged business.

Products carrying the Chitralada brand have been recognised for their high quality, from pasteurised fresh milk, powdered milk and condensed milk to ice cream and cheese. Even the cow dung is turned into compost for a nearby orchard.

His Majesty’s ultimate goal for the dairy project is to use it as a model for his citizens to study. At the opening ceremony of the Suan Dusit Powdered Milk Factory in 1969, His Majesty said: “This is the first dairy factory in our country, and we should be proud that it has been designed and built by Thai people. Think of this factory as a prototype. Anyone seeking knowledge of how to run a dairy business for the benefit of themselves and the national economy can come here any time they wish.”

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: To relieve his subjects of iodine deficiency, His Majesty commissioned a survey of salt production so that the iodising process could be carried out as close to local sources as possible. With His Majesty's guidance, agricultural goods receive added value when they are processed and manufactured to appeal more to consumers. Powdered milk toffee from the King’s Chitralada project has been popularly consumed by kids and adults alike.

Other on-going projects Chitralada Palace have been launched with a similar non-profit oriented goal. Factories produce canned fruit juice, honey, and paper made of the mulberry plant. There is a mushroom farm, a herbarium, a tissue culture laboratory, and a solar cell-fuelled demonstration house.

CATTLE BANK

His Majesty coined the term “buffalo and cow bank” to describe an initiative which led to the establishment of a centre where farmers can borrow cattle and buffalo for farming.

The idea was developed after the King’s visit to Prachin Buri province in 1979. Farmers there complained that they did not have money left after work because they had to pay exorbitant prices to rent buffaloes.

In response, His Majesty asked the Department of Livestock to help relieve the problem.

The cattle bank offers a ray of hope to impoverished farmers who otherwise lack the means of production to sustain themselves and their families. The bank both lends out the buffalo and allows farmers to purchase them at reasonable prices. Farmers can pay the bank in long-term installments. His Majesty’s generosity extends to old and retired cattle, too. He proposed that the Department of Livestock allocate a two to three rai area in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, as a retirement home for cattle.

His Majesty said that he did not want the cattle, which contribute greatly to farmers’ lives, to be slaughtered.

FISH BREEDING

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: His Majesty explains Bangkok’s geography to officials involved with flood management. His Majesty granted an audience to three recipients of the Ananda Mahidol Scholarship, who are leaving to study abroad. During the Royal compound of Chitralada Ploughing ceremony, rice grown in the compound of ChitraladaPalace is distributed to the public. For six decades, His Majesty has come up with creative and practical ideas to tackle his subjects' problems.

A visit to a fish market would show that pla nil (Nile Tilapia) is one of the most popular fish on sale today because of its tasty flesh and reasonable price.

The fish is so well known and commonly seen that one may be surprised to learn that it is not native to Thai waters.

The availability of pla nil was the result of royal insight.

In 1952, His Majesty asked the Department of Fisheries to conduct a trial breeding of pla mor thes (Java Tilapia). The fish turned out to be easy to breed and rear. His Majesty gave them to local leaders for release into the wild. Pla mor thes has since become a cheap source of protein for people throughout the country.

In 1965, Crown Prince Akihito of Japan gave His Majesty 25 pairs of a similar species of fish. A trial at Chitralada Palace showed that the fish, Nile Tilapia, reproduced even faster than their cousins. One year later, His Majesty named the fish pla nil and gave 10,000 to the Department of Fisheries to fry and distribute to the public.

ROYAL RAIN

In 1955, while flying to visit villagers in the Phuphan Mountains in northeastern Thailand, His Majesty noticed that although there were plenty of heavy clouds along his flight path, they failed to bring rainfall to the parched lands below.

Water scarcity brings extreme hardship to farmers. Population increases and industrial expansion also place great strain on existing water resources.

Analysing the information and scientific data available, His Majesty made it known to one of his close aides, M.R. Debriddhi Devakul, of his firm intention to search for a way to bring down “more rain than that given by nature.”

The Royal Rain, or artificial rain, project was thus born. Soon afterwards, an official agency, the Royal Rain Operations Office, was established to assume responsibility for cloud seeding operations.

WASTE WATER MANAGEMENT

One major cause of pollution is the lack of effective waste water treatment and garbage disposal systems. His Majesty has initiated several projects to treat waste water employing natural processes and inexpensive technologies. Following are selected examples of successful cases:

Waste Water Treatment via Filtration by Water Hyacinth

“Bueng Makkasan” is a small lake in the heart of Bangkok. Dug by the Royal Siamese Railway in 1931, it has been used for many years to hold flood and waste water from surrounding areas, including used lubricants from the Makkasan railway work shop. The discharge has caused the lake to silt up and become shallow and polluted.

In 1985, His Majesty asked various agencies to help improve the lake’s water quality using “natural filtration”. Apart from increasing the water circulation by pumping water in and out of the lake, His Majesty also advised agencies to grow water hyacinth to absorb the organic matter and heavy metals in the water. The weeds are replaced every 10 weeks before they reach the peak of their growth. The removed plants are used to make compost or fuel but not animal feed as they contain residues of heavy metals.

This simple and inexpensive method can treat 30,000 to 100,000 cubic metres of polluted water daily. It is found to reduce the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) value by 19 to 85 percent, total coliform bacteria by 90 percent, and faecal coliform bacteria by 89 percent.

The cleaner lake offers several by-products, such as compost and fuel made from water hyacinth and the cultivation of aquatic plants of commercial value.

Combining Lagoon Treatment and Grass Filtration

The Laem Phak Bia Environmental Research and Development Project, Phetchaburi Province

A 1,135 rai (181.6 hectare) plot of public land was chosen as a site for the construction of a waste water treatment system at Laem Phak Bia.

First, waste water from the municipal area and environs is conveyed to the Yang Canal pumping station, where garbage is removed. The station serves as a primary sedimentation pond, which may reduce pollution by up to 40 per cent.

Next, the water is pumped into an 18-kilometre pipeline to Laem Phak Bia to undergo a two step treatment.

The Lagoon Treatment system consists of five different ponds: one sedimentation pond, three oxidation ponds, and one polishing pond. The waste water is treated gradually as the water flows from pond to pond before being drained into mangrove forest for the next stage of treatment process.

The secondary treatment system exploits natural filtration by channeling the water through a constructed wetland system, grass fields, and finally another constructed mangrove area. Aquatic plants reduce toxins and organic matter in the water by absorption and digestion. After the treatment, the water quality has been transformed enough to meet acceptable standards.

Similar systems have been adapted to treat water pollution at Nong Han and Nong Sanom in Sakon Nakhon province.

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: The Story of Mahajanaka is His Majesty’s literary gift reminding people that through perseverance, one will prevail. The devastation caused by cyclone Harriet in 1962 led to the establishment of the Rachaprachanugroh Foundation. Realising that fertile soil is fundamental to successful agriculture, His Majesty has developed innovative ways to improve the resource.

THE CHAIPATTANA AERATOR

Witnessing the increasing severity of water pollution, His Majesty ordered that a low-cost locally built water aeration device be developed. With financial assistance from the Chaipattana Foundation, the Royal Irrigation Department manufactured a waste water treatment device known as the Chaipattana aerator. Since 1989, the oxygen-enhancing aerator has been installed for trial use at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital and Wat Bovornives Vihara.

Nine models are currently being tested. The development of the Chaipattana aerator offers an alternative to treating polluted water that is efficient, easy to use and cost-effective. The machine is capable of treating water pollution with BOD of 250 milligrammes per litre at a rate of 600 cubic metres per day, reducing BOD by more than 90 per cent.

The aerator costs only 96 satang per cubic metre of water treated. In terms of pollutants removed, it can be operated for just 3.84 baht per kilogramme of BOD substances. The device is durable and requires little maintenance.

In 1993, the Chaipattana Aerator Model RX-2 was granted a patent under His Majesty’s name. It was the first patent in the world given to a monarch.

AGGRAVATING THE SOIL—A ROYAL THEORY

During a royal visit to Narathiwat province in 1981, His Majesty the King observed that swamp lands drained for agriculture or flood control, soon grew too acidic to be arable.

Beneath a one-to-two-metre layer of decomposed plant residue lays a bluish grey mud with high pyrite content. As soils in drained areas dry, underlying layers of pyrite release sulphuric acid as they oxidize.

A project to improve soil quality was set up at the Pikul Thong Royal Development Study Centre. His Majesty came up with a process he dubbed the ‘Klaeng Din’ (Aggravating the Soil) method. Depending on the existing conditions of the soil, there are three different techniques to choose from:

- The use of water to remove soil acidity with applications of nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilisers.
- The use of lime mixed with topsoil such as marl and lime dust.
- The use of lime in combination with soil flooding and careful manipulation of ground-water levels.

USE OF VETIVER GRASS TO PREVENT SOIL DEGRADATION AND EROSION

Recognising the problem of the loss of topsoil and soil erosion, His Majesty the King initiated studies and experiments on the use of vetiver grass, known in Thai as ‘ya faek’, as a potential solution that is both economical and friendly to the environment.

The research revealed a number of positive uses for the easily grown plant. Vetiver grass helps reduce the speed of water runoff; it traps the silt, and ameliorates the problem of gully erosion.

The plant also prevents damage to step terraces and hillside ditches and lessens the accumulation of silt in irrigation and drainage canals. Its root system forms an underground barrier that prevents water-borne soil and toxic substances from flowing down to the water table as it absorbs heavy metals and toxic chemicals.

In addition, the grass helps maintain the dikes of paddy fields. Vetiver thatch is useful both at the household level and in commercial manufacturing. Vetiver’s aromatic root can be used in wardrobes to freshen the air and to protect clothing against moth infestation. The volatile oil in the roots is used in fragrances, such as the French perfume Vetiver.

His Majesty’s vetiver initiative earned him two prestigious awards in 1993 from the International Erosion Control Association (IECA) and the World Bank.

ROYAL INITIATIVES CONCERNING FLOOD MANAGEMENT

His Majesty the King has suggested several strategies to control flooding both in Bangkok and in the countryside.

The royal strategies focus on building more dikes to prevent overflow of water, enlarging existing canals, digging up new ones where appropriate, and constructing reservoirs at various sites to store excess water.

One of His Majesty’s well known flood control initiatives is the Monkey’s Cheek (Kaem Ling) Project, designed to alleviate flooding in Bangkok and nearby areas. The basic tenet of the Kaem Ling project is to store water from the north of Bangkok in large canals and flush the excess water out to sea.

“We have been heading in the right direction. Please hurry up and improve the project because the Kaem Ling Project will help many, many areas,” His Majesty remarked.

ALLEVIATING TRAFFIC JAMS IN BANGKOK

His Majesty is well aware of the frustrations suffered by Bangkok residents during the daily commute. The King has thus initiated several road construction projects to expand the road surface in the capital city, most notably on Ratchadapisek Road and Ratchadamnoen Nok Road.

One of the most outstanding projects was the construction of an elevated highway along the Borom Ratchonnanee Road which was completed in two years [1996-1998], a record time for a project of that scale. The upper-level road is now taking about 6,000 cars a day, while the groundlevel one has the capacity to handle between 60,000 and 70,000 cars a day.

THE ROYAL PROJECT

In 1969, His Majesty the King gave an initial grant 200,000 baht to researchers at Kasetsart University to fund a study to identify a viable alternative cash crop for hilltribe people whose livelihoods were dependant on opium production.

The project, known as the Royal Project, aimed at stopping opium cultivation and slash-and-burn farming among hilltribes. Both practices had inflicted serious damage to watershed forests for nearly 30 years. Under the Royal Project Foundation hilltribe peoples produce cold climate vegetables. They now have a better standard of living and employ sustainable cultivation methods.

The Project now has four research stations and 35 Royal Project Development centres, covering 295 villages and 14,109 households comprising 85,000 people.

ROYAL DEVELOPMENT STUDY CENTRES (LIVING MUSEUMS)

An expert on rural development in his own right, His Majesty initiated the establishment of Royal Development Study Centres. Aware that there is no single formula or solution to rural poverty, the centres conduct studies, research projects and experiments with the aim of establishing guidelines and development methods appropriate to the conditions of individual areas. Dubbed “the Living Museums,’ farmers can observe and receive training by ’ seeing and learning from the real-life examples. The six centres are:

-The Khao Hin Son Centre in Phanom Sarakham district, Chachoengsao
-The Huay Hong Krai Centre in Chiang Mai -The Pikul Thong Centre, Narathiwat
-The Phu Phan Centre, Sakon Nakhon
-The Kung Kraben Bay Centre, Chanthaburi
-The Huay Sai Centre, Phetchaburi

NEW THEORY

His Majesty’s concern about water shortages afflicting rain-fed farmers led to the promotion of his plan for smallscale farm management. According to the plan, each plot of between 10 and15 rai is divided into four main sections.

The general formula is 30:30:30:10 which corresponds to the relative proportion to be allocated to a reservoir, rice fields, fruit and vegetable orchards, and residence/livestock areas, respectively.

To ensure an adequate supply of water throughout the year, a system of individual ponds, a community reservoir and a larger basin is recommended. In case of drought, the dried-up pond will be filled in by the next largest in the hierarchy.

His Majesty’s concept has been successfully tested at an experimental field at Wat Mongkhon Chaipattana in Saraburi province.

The key objective of the New Theory is to achieve selfsufficiency. His Majesty calculated that a family of six requires about five rai of land dedicated to rice cultivation.

The second stage of the New Theory advises that farmers organize themselves into groups or cooperatives to empower them in production, processing, marketing, education, social welfare and development. The third and last stage envisages fair trade relationships between the private sector and local community organisations.

MOBILE HEALTH UNITS

While Bangkok has a doctor-patient ratio of one doctor per 998 patients, the rate is one doctor per more than 20,000 patients in the Northeast, one per more than 12,000 patients in the North, and one per 14,000 patients in the South.

Realising that a large number of people still don’t have access to proper health care, His Majesty initiated a mobile health unit in 1967. He arranged for his personal physicians as well as a team of volunteer medical professionals to tend people in remote areas without charge.

During the trips, it was found that many villagers suffer from dental problems. As a result, His Majesty set up the Royal Mobile Dental Unit.

His Majesty did not wish the villagers to rely solely on outside physicians. He initiated another scheme to give basic medical training—first aid, preventive medicine, and knowledge about nutrition—to local villagers. These “village doctors” are of great help to people who live far from government funded health care services.

SALT ROADS

During his extensive travels throughout the countryside, His Majesty observed a large number of his subjects suffering from iodine deficiency and goiter.

Aware of the regional variations in the salt supply, His Majesty commissioned the “Salt Roads” survey, which mapped out the different routes salt followed from production to its delivery to the consumer outlets. The emphasis of the project was to promote the iodization of salt as close to the local sources as possible.

A pioneering project, using Samoeng district in Chiang Mai as the model, was conducted in 1993 and has identified four major routes. The survey resulted in the distribution and implementation of iodization processes that can be tailored to either individual consumption or large-scale manufacturing.

RAJAPRACHANUKROH FOUNDATION

The name “Rajaprachanukroh” literally means mutual assistance between the monarch and the people. The Rajaprachanukroh Foundation was established in 1963 to relieve the devastation caused when a massive typhoon devastated Thailand’s southern provinces.

His Majesty had the Au Sau radio station make an announcement asking people to make donations to relieve victims of the storm.

The campaign raised more than 11 million baht. After the assistance was distributed, part of the money remained. His Majesty directed that a fund be established to help children whose families were affected by the storm and to give relief to victims of natural calamities in the future. Thus the Rajaprachanukroh Foundation was born.

To date, the foundation has built more than 12 schools in the South, replacing those destroyed in floods. It also awards scholarships to needy children.

RATCHAPRACHASAMASAI FOUNDATION

During his extensive travels, His Majesty came upon a number of people suffering from leprosy.

He asked the director of the Department of Health, “When will leprosy be eradicated from Thailand?” The director replied that if the government had one million baht to establish an institute to do research on the disease, it could be wiped out in10 years.

His Majesty told the director to go ahead and build the needed research facility, with funds provided by the Ananda Mahidol Foundation set up by His Majesty to commemorate his brother, the late King Ananda Mahidol.

The facility, known as the Ratchaprachasamasai Institute and Foundation has treated more than 60,000 people with leprosy. Once treated, patients are assigned to live in one of the 12 communes scattered around the Kingdom. There they embark on learning an occupation with the aid of an initial loan from the foundation.

On a visit to Ratchaprachasamasai Institute, His Majesty saw a couple of children whose parents were suffering from leprosy. He asked the officials where these children would go for schooling, and was told they had no idea since the law forbids children of people with leprosy to attend ordinary schools. In response, His Majesty set up a school in Phra Pradaeng to provide education for the children of individuals with leprosy.

PHRA DABOS SCHOOL

A teacher by nature, His Majesty the King initiated the Phra Dabos project in 1976 to provide nonformal education for those who lack the means necessary to enter formal schools.

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn explained in a 1995 interview that the concept of the Phra Dabos school is like that of the Phra Dabos (hermits) in folktales.

According to the tales, anybody wishing to gain knowledge would go to the woods to find a Phra Dabos.

If the hermit believed the person had enough determination, he would provide them with both practical and moral teachings in return for their service.

His Majesty finances the project, which operates on a non-commercial basis. The Phra Dabos school which teaches courses in electronics and mechanics is open to people from all walks of life.

THAI JUNIOR ENCYCLOPAEDIA

According to Princess Sirindhorn, the Princess Mother bought an encyclopaedia so that members of the Royal Family could find answers to their questions. His Majesty said he would like to have that kind of encyclopaedia produced for Thai people, in the Thai language.

The Thai Junior Encyclopaedia is divided into three levels. The high level is for older children and adults seeking specialized knowledge on a variety of subjects.

The other two are intermediate and elementary.

His Majesty summarised the purpose of the encyclopaedia as follows:

“They (the encyclopaedia) are books that include all the knowledge humans have gathered since ancient times and processed for later generations. Normally this knowledge is learned at schools or educational institutions. But due to a lack of teachers and schools, there needs to be an alternative source of knowledge which enables people to learn by themselves or from relatives and friends who know more.”

ANANDA MAHIDOL SCHOLARSHIP

The Ananda Mahidol Foundation was established on April 3, 1959 using His Majesty’s private funds.

The name was chosen as a memorial of King Rama VIII, the King’s elder brother.

Originally, the scholarships were given to students in medicine, for both His Majesty’s father and brother had expressed their intention to promote the field in the country. Later, the programme was expanded to cover eight different fields; medicine, science, agriculture, law, art, dentistry, veterinary science, and engineering.

The foundation appoints eight screening panels to select students from a pool of university graduates, typically those who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance. The scholarships enable recipients to study overseas on the condition they return and work for the benefit of the nation.

KING’S SCHOLARSHIP

In 1965, the King’s Scholarship programme, first launched during King Rama V’s reign, was revived. In keeping with its original spirit, the scholarships are given to students with outstanding academic records for the pursuit of undergraduate studies at foreign universities in any field of their choosing.

(Other government scholarship programmes have specific requirements as to which field of study students can pursue.)

The scholarships are granted to those wishing to study mathematics and science, languages and social studies, and vocational training and art. Each year, nine students are selected. On average, the programme lasts five years, and there is no commitment to pay back the award. In 1971, the regulations were amended to allow students to choose to study in local universities as well.

PRINCE MAHIDOL AWARD

The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation was established in commemoration of the Centenary Birthday Anniversary of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkhla on January 1, 1992. Each year, two awards are conferred to individual(s) or institution( s) for excellence in fields of medicine and public health. The prize money for each of the two categories is US$50,000 (1,925,000 baht) derived from income earned from the Foundation’s endowment.

MAHAJANAKA

His Majesty has demonstrated his literary talents with his translations of English works into Thai.

William Stevenson’s A Man Called Intrepid was translated in1993, followed by a translation of Phyllis Auty’s Tito in 1994.

In 1996, the Golden Jubilee year of his reign, the King released The Story of Mahajanaka to the public.

The book was an instant hit, and has gone into several reprints, including the latest, an animated version.

The Story of Mahajanaka was based on a jataka, a Buddhist religious tale in the Holy Tripitaka about the practice of 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.

MAIN PICTURE: Halted after the 1932 revolution, the ancient Royal in 1960. SECOND ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: The New Theory gives a new life based on self-sufficiency to farmers. ‘Pla nil’ (Nile Tilapia) is one of the most popular fish on sale today . Products carrying the Chitralada brand have been recognized for their quality. The philosophy behind the New Theory is to have everything, such as mushroom, one needs for sustenance in one’s backyard. THIRD ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Vetiver grass is a natural solution to the problem of soil erosion. The Chaipattana aerator is one of His Majesty’s attemps to solve the problem of water pollution in Thailand. Artificial flowers and other handicrafts from sa paper are among products from His Majesty’s Chitralada Projects. The experimental rice mill epitomises His Majesty’s care for the agricultural sector.

For more information on His Majesty’s projects, check the following web sites:
-The Royal Development Project Board
-The Kanchanapisek Site