Doi Tung mountain in Chiang Rai was once a barren land with opium plantations, but the Princess Mother's determination to improve the livelihoods of local people has changed the poverty-stricken, drug-infested area for the better, said M L Dispanadda Diskul, chief executive officer of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, which oversees development projects in the hilly region.
Efforts by the Princess Mother (mother of King Rama VIII and King Rama IX), captured as royal initiative projects, have lifted rural areas out of poverty, transforming villages over the course of three decades into sustainable communities.
The 150-sq-km area borders Myanmar and houses 29 villages with over 13,000 people in six ethnic groups. In the past, Doi Tung sat in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the hub of illegal opium production, M L Dispanadda said, adding the area was also subject to slash-and-burn agriculture and human and arms trafficking.
"When we started our [foundation's] work, Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra (Princess Mother) believed we needed to give people choice and chance. Nobody wants to be bad, but they don't have the opportunity to do good. We believe that by engaging everyone in the community we can transform them," he told foreign diplomats in Thailand in a briefing session.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised the trip to Chiang Rai for the Thai diplomatic corps on Feb 24-27 to introduce them to the royal initiative projects.
The foundation has encouraged locals to take part in businesses ranging from food to tourism under the DoiTung (the brand is one word, but Doi Tung mountain is two words) brand to create a sense of ownership.
"We bring in revenue of US$16-18 million (about 500-560 million baht) every year. About 30% goes directly to local people, 6-10% of the profit margin goes to social activities. The income per capita has been growing significantly. They are no longer suffering on low incomes," he said.
As Doi Tung has now restored its environment, it is moving towards a circular economy to help save depleting resources. Besides solar roofing, garbage and leftovers such as coffee cherry and macadamia shells are reused, recycled or turned into energy, he added.
Michael Douglas Mann, ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to Thailand, said the Princess Mother's dedication reminds him that the development of these hilly areas, though difficult, is made possible by the right people, the right thoughts, and the right undertaking.
Mary Anne A Padua, the Phillipines embassy chargé d'affaires and deputy chief of mission, said: "I like her [Princess Mother's] philosophy -- there is no really bad person, but you have to give him an opportunity to do good. I find it uplifting and think about ways we can do something like this in our country."
Meanwhile, Ahmad Rusdi, the Indonesian ambassador to Thailand, said he has learnt people are now more independent once they are taught how to "catch fish".
Living with the forest
Attempts to reforest the northern hill ended in failure until Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn suggested that trees with strong roots be planted and cared for to prevent landslides, said Suleeporn Bunbongkarn Choopavang, director of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Office of Chaipattana Foundation.
Set up in 2011, the foundation's Tea Oil and Plant Oils Development Centre hires locals to assist in production.
Austrian ambassador to Thailand Eva Hager said, "I have learnt that when it comes to deforestation, you must look at the problem from ecological, social, and economic perspectives," she added.
Aiming for self-sufficiency
Meanwhile, the San Thang Luang Village is a textbook example of how the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy is put into practice. Sangvian Prarom, the headwoman, said the village receives support from the Prince Chakrabandh Pensiri Centre for Plant Development under the initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
"Each household has a small plot so we can grow and consume fresh organic produce and sell it via the centre to urban supermarkets. The project has improved our livelihood because we earn stable income," she said. Armida Alisjahbana, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, said the organic farm is a showcase of developing a sustainable economy.