Royal projects are always located far from cities and in more remote areas. Lam Pathia Reservoir in Buri Ram's Lahan Sai district is a prominent example. The reservoir is about 90km south of the city and close to the border between Thailand and Cambodia.
Timor-Leste Ambassador Joaquim Amaral expresses an interest in silk textiles.
"Our lives have been changed for the better since the royal project was introduced in 1982," said Ban Rat Rak Daen village head Prapot Sodok.
Ban Rat Rak Daen is one of the four communities located about 7km to the border in tambon Nong Waeng. The villages have a natural stream flowing through the communities. The streams originated from Phanom Dong Rak Mountain, including Lam Pathia, Huai Na Nuea and Huai Din Sai streams.
Villagers of Ban Phathai Ruam Phon demonstrate the technique of making mudmee (tie-dyed) silk cloth.
In the past, people lived in the forest protected area, which later turned to be the base for Communist insurgents in 1978. After military forces won the battle against the rebels 40 years ago, the army worked with the Land Development Department to allocate land for the people.
They grouped villagers into four villages. Each village has about 200 families. Each family received 15 rai plot of land for farming. The army also helped build houses, a school, a temple and a healthcare centre for each community.
In the past, villagers grew plants that need less water like cassava and sugar cane because the soil was dry and red. The dirt road linking to the villages had potholes. The villagers lived in poverty.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who visited the people in Buri Ram four times from 1955-1981, advised the Royal Irrigation Department to build reservoirs in the province, which include Lam Nang Rong Dam, Lam Chang Han and Lam Pathia ponds.
Four small reservoirs also were built, one for each border village in tambon Nong Waeng. Since then the water has been reserved for consumption and farmlands covering an area of 12,000 rai. Water from the four reservoirs in the villages also flow to Lam Pathia Reservoir.
"After the reservoir was built in our village, we have water all year round. We can grow rice and fruit trees in orchards. We grow durian and rambutan trees for sale, while some of us also have palm oil and rubber tree plantations," he said.
Lam Pathia Reservior.
The 20km, two-lane, asphalt road linking Lahan Sai to tambon Nong Waeng where the four communities are located is in good condition. Farmlands stretch along the road as far as the eyes can see.
"Our income jumped from 50,000 baht per year in the past to about 200,000 baht a year. We have good roads, electricity and water. Our living condition is much better than the past," he said.
HM Queen Sirikit extended the support of the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Technique of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand to the communities.
The silk weaving group was founded about 20 years ago and recruited the first group of 80 members. They have woven silk fabrics for the foundation since then.
The learning centre of woven cloth was also established at Ban Phathai Ruam Phon, which is open daily for public visit. Visitors can see how they dry silk yarns, try weave silk cloth or shop their silk products. "Our weaving techniques, patterns and cloth quality are much improved after we received training with the foundation," said a villager.
They weave silk fabrics by orders of the foundation. Each of them can produce up to 30 pieces per year. "We weave when we have free time from our farmland. Weaving brings extra income to my family," she said.
Their traditional design is hog deer or nuea sai, which relates to the name of the Lahan Sai district. The group can also produce other products based on silk fabrics like purses and coin bags.
The former red soil turned green after the Lam Pathia Reservoir was built.
To promote royal projects in low-profile places, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) recently launched "The Royal Project Tourism Areas" programme. It is continuing TAT's project from last year titled "Following The King's Wisdom For Sustainable Tourism", which is to promote tourism destinations in nine provinces where the royal projects are located, said TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn.
For this year, the programme covers five royal projects. They are the learning centre for sufficiency economy in Ratchaburi, Lam Pathia Reservoir Development Project in Buri Ram, Pluak Daeng Development Centre in Rayong, Pak Phanang River Basin Development Project in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Kaset Vichaya, the agricultural learning centre in Chiang Mai. Five journeys were undertaken from last month.
TAT invited ambassadors or their representatives of 25 countries to join the trips. The trip to Lam Pathia Reservoir in Buri Ram was joined by the Philippine Ambassador Mary Jo A Bernardo-Aragon, Timor-Leste Ambassador Joaquim Amaral, Morocco Second Secretary Radouane Chaouki and Armenia representative Panita Chittanonda.
They also visited Ban Khoak Muang village in Buri Ram to learn about the way villagers live in the sufficiency economy and also visited some well-known tourism spots in the province such as Phanom Rung Historical Park, Buri Ram soccer stadium and the Chang International Circuit.
"It is good to learn the elements of the late king's sufficiency economy concept. It is a concept that can help people not only in Thailand, but also in the Southeast Asia region," said Bernardo-Aragon.
The Lam Pathia Reservoir Development Project is open to the public daily.
For more information, visit kingwisdom.tourismthailand.org. The information is available in the Thai language and also includes local activities and places to visit in Buri Ram, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chiang Mai.
Ton pae (Vitex quinata) is the tree of Buri Ram. This tree was planted by HM Queen Sirikit during her second visit in 2002 with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, who was crown prince at that time.
