Royal Initiatives

The experiences that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn had gained from accompanying Their Majesties the King and Queen on frequent visits to rural and remote areas have inspired Her Royal Highness with enthusiasm to help the underprivileged and needy people. Their Majesties the King and Queen had exposed Her Royal Highness to the prominent problems of local children living in poverty and suffering including poor health, poor food quality and lack of education.

The implementation of her initiatives in initial stage focused on children in remote rural villages suffering from malnutrition with goals to improve their quality of life and future outlook. The real causes of the problem were from food insecurity, unhygienic environment and inadequate public utilities. The effective long-term solution as an investment was to increase agricultural productivity. In 1980, Her Royal Highness initiated the Agriculture for School Lunch Project, simply starting from planting vegetables and raising flocks of laying hen in school and turning farm produce to food for their lunch. Not only do they gain immediate result as an important meal of the day, but their eating habit and nutritional and health condition were also improved. Their farming skills would also be developed for their home farming or possibly as future farming vocation. All in all Her Royal Highness had practical point of view in solving problems with short-term and long-term solutions according to each circumstance.

In subsequent stage of development, education has become her main concern since Her Royal Highness recognizes that education is the process of learning and a tool for human development. She has been well aware of the disadvantaged people being excluded from the mainstream of education, both in rural villages and urban communities, both of which deserve equal opportunity to have access to education of good quality. Her Royal Highness expressed her concerns in human right to basic education in her speech delivered in the Food and Nutrition Seminar at Mahidol University on 17 August 2005, partly stated as follows : “ …I wish all people knew they have rights to deserve good things in their lives, not just getting what they are given. The responsible authorities should recognize such rights as well. For example, the disadvantaged group or those at the margins of society have rights to have good standard of living. Regarding the right, access to education is a fundamental human right. Education provides opportunity to learn and live sufficiently. Besides, knowledge can be valued resources to help others or community…”

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has initiated many development projects. Most of them were facilitated by and working in coordination with various agencies, both governmental and private. Among her diverse initiatives, giving assistance to needy people to relieve their urgent troubles is also one of her concerns, for example, the medical unit and the support fund for poor patients, the Sirindhorn Special Task Unit (SSTU) for people in distress, to name a few. Nevertheless, her primary dedication is to improve people's quality of life with the highest aim that is to alleviate illiteracy, to help people survive in this competitive world.

Her interests and knowledge in several areas have led to her multiple initiatives for the benefit of Thai people ; many of which are integrated development programmes such as the quality of life development in remote areas, while some are of particular purpose or scope of activity, for example the information technology development and the art and cultural development. At present, in addition to undertaking the programmes in Thailand, Her Royal Highness also has the initiatives in collaboration with other countries, such as the experiental exchange programmes to improve the life's condition of people between Thailand and Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Cambodia and Mongolia. Budget for implementing most programmes comes mainly from her personal funds, as well as the annual budget of relevant government agencies. Partial support also comes from individual benefactors, associations, private sector donors, philanthropic societies and other organizations. Several international organizations and companies also provide assistance such as UNESCO, WHO, FAO, UNBRO, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, INTERNATIONAL CARREFOUR FOUNDATION, SUEZ FOUNDATION, BRITISH COUNCIL, AIR FRANCE, to name a few.

• PROJECTS IN THAILAND
  • QUALITY OF LIFE DEVELOPMENT IN REMOTE AREAS
    • EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THAI HILL TRIBES
    • BORDER PATROL POLICE SCHOOLS
    • PRIMARY SCHOOLS, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
    • MONASTIC SCHOOLS IN NORTHERN PROVINCES
    • ISLAMIC PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES
    • IMPROVING CHILDHOOD NUTRITION AND HEALTH :
      • AGRICULTURE FOR SCHOOL LUNCH
      • MATERNAL AND CHILD CARE
      • CONTROL OF IODINE DEFICIENCY DISORDER
      • CONTROL OF INTESTINAL PARASITIC INFECTION
      • CONTROL OF MALARIA
      • COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL SANITATION
      • LUNCH PROGRAMME FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
    • IMPROVING CHILD LEARNING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT :
      • PROVIDING PRIMARY EDUCATION
      • IMPROVING QUALITY OF EDUCATION
      • PROMOTING TEACHING AND LEARNING SCIENCE
      • PROMOTING COOPERATIVES
      • IMPROVING SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND TEACHING MATERIALS
      • VOCATIONAL TRAINING
    • PROVIDING GREATER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES :
      • ROYAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN NEED
      • PROVIDING POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION
    • CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL WISDOM
    • TEACHERS DEVELOPMENT
    • SISTER SCHOOLS NETWORKING

  • AREA DEVELOPMENT
    • STUDY FOR DEVELOPMENT :
      • SUAN PUENG NATURE EDUCATION PARK, RATCHABURI PROVINCE
      • PHU FA DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, NAN PROVINCE
    • COMMUNITY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT :
      • MAE LOB RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT, OMKOI DISTRICT, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE
      • THAI-LAO BORDER VILLLAGE DEVELOPMENT, UBONRATCHATHANI PROVINCE
      • QUALITY OF LIFE DEVELOPMENT IN KHONKAEN AND BURIRAM PROVINCES
      • NAYAO VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT, CHACHOENGSAO PROVINCE
      • DEVELOPMENT OF THREE VILLAGES IN MAE SOT DISTRICT, TAK PROVINCE
      • ONG LU VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT, KANCHANABURI PROVINCE

  • OCCUPATIONAL PROMOTION FOR RURAL VILLAGERS
    • OCCUPATIONAL GROUP DEVELOPMENT
    • PHU FA SHOP

  • SPECIAL RELIEF PROGRAMMES
    • RELIEF PROGRAMMES FOR TSUNAMI VICTIMS IN SOUTHERN PROVINCES
    • RELIEF PROGRAMMES FOR FLOOD VICTIMS
    • SIRINDHORN SPECIAL TASK UNIT (SSTU)
    • MEDICAL UNIT
    • DENTAL UNIT
    • SUPPORT FUND FOR PATIENTS IN NEED
    • SPECTACLES SERVICE

  • INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
    • IT FOR RURAL SCHOOLS
    • IT FOR THE DISABLED
    • IT FOR CHILD PATIENTS
    • IT FOR PRISON INMATES
    • IT FOR CULTURAL DISSEMINATION PROGRAMME
    • GOLDEN JUBILEE NETWORK
    • COMPUTER NETWORK FOR THAI SCHOOLS (SCHOOLNET)

  • SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
    • SCIENCE IN RURAL SCHOOLS
    • SCIENCE IN GENERAL SCHOOLS
    • SCIENCE SCHOOL

  • EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AREAS
    • PRE-SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
    • PHRA TAMNAK SUAN KULARB SCHOOL
    • PIYACHART PATTANA SCHOOL
    • RATCHASUDA COLLEGE, MAHIDOL UNIVERSITY
    • CHITRALADA SCHOOL (VOCATIONAL PROGRAMME)
    • SCHOOLS IN BANGKOK METROPOLITAN

  • SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED
    • NURSERY FOR THE DEAF, PHRA TAMNAK SUANKULARB SCHOOL
    • SETTHASATIAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, BANGKOK
    • SOTTHA SUKSA SCHOOLS, BANGKOK, CHIANG MAI AND TAK PROVINCE
    • KAWILA ANUKUL SCHOOL, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE
    • SCHOOLS FOR THE BLIND, BANGKOK, CHIANG MAI AND SURAT THANI PROVINCE
    • SUKSASONGKROH SCHOOLS (WELFARE SCHOOLS)

  • ARTS AND CULTURE
    • THE TEMPLE OF EMERALD BUDDHA MUSEUM
    • KING RAMA II MEMORIAL PARK
    • HER MAJESTY QUEEN SAVANG VADHANA MUSEUM
    • ROYAL VOCATIONAL COLLEGE FOR GIRLS
    • ROYAL VOCATIONAL COLLEGE FOR BOYS
    • GOLDEN JUBILEE ROYAL GOLDSMITH COLLEGE
    • GOLDEN JUBILEE NON-FORMAL EDUCATIONAL CENTRE
    • MURAL PAINTINGS AT THA SUTTHAWAAT TEMPLE, ANG THONG PROVINCE
    • MURAL PAINTINGS AT AMPAWANJETIYARAM TEMPLE, SAMUT SONGKRAM PROVINCE

  • INFORMATION CENTRE AND LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT
    • SIRINDHORN ANTHROPOLOGY CENTRE
    • HISTORY INFORMATION CENTRE, HISTORY DIVISION, CHULACHOMKLAO ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY
    • PLANT SPECIES INFORMATION CENTRE
    • MUSIC LIBRARY, NATIONAL LIBRARY
    • CHALERM RAJKUMAREE PUBLIC LIBRARIES
    • PROM PANYA LIBRARIES
    • LIBRARIES IN BORDER PATROL POLICE SCHOOLS

  • H.R.H. PRINCESS MAHA CHAKRI SIRINDHORN FOUNDATION

  • PLANT GENETICS CONSERVATION PROJECT ON SAMAESARN ISLAND, CHON BURI PROVINCE

  • MANGROVE CONSERVATION AND REHABILITATION PROJECT

  • PADDY FARMING AND RICE MILL PROJECT AT CHULACHOMKLAO ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY
  
  
• COOPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES
  • KAMPONG CHHEUTEAL HIGH SCHOOL, THE KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

  • THAILAND - LAOS COOPERATION :
    • EXPERIENTIAL EXCHANGE AMONG LAOTIAN GOVERNORS
    • TECHNICAL COOPERATION WITH LAOTIAN MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH PERSONNELS
    • EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT IN SEVEN SCHOOLS
    • VIENTIANE CULTURE SCHOOL (KM 67), MUANG PHAUN HAUNG
    • AGRICULTURAL SERVICE AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (KM 22), MUANG NA SAI THONG

  • THAILAND - MYANMAR COOPERATION IN CHILDREN AND YOUTHS DEVELOPMENT

  • THAILAND - VIETNAM COOPERATION IN CHILDREN AND YOUTHS DEVELOPMENT

  • THAILAND - CHINA COOPERATION :
    • ACADEMIC COOPERATION WITH INSTITUTIONS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
    • SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL COOPERATION WITH CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    • ROYAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR CHINESE AND TIBETIAN STUDENTS

  • THAILAND - MONGOLIA COOPERATION :
    • EXPERIENTIAL EXCHANGE AMONG MONGOLIAN OFFICIALS
    • ROYAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MONGOLIAN STUDENTS

  • IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTHS IN ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION

  • ROYAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THAI STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD

  • COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS :
    • SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME, UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMMES
    • EDUCATION FOR ALL PROGRAMME , UNESCO
    • POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION FOR REFUGEES AND IDPs PROGRAMME, REFUGEE EDUCATION TRUST, UNHCR