1. Education
1.1 Regular Schools
1.2 Border Patrol Police School
1.3 Education for handicapped children
1.4 Day-care Centres for pre-school children
2. Education and Culture
3. Supplementary Projects for Education
3.1 Library Projects
3.2 Thai Junior Encyclopedia Project
3.3 Educational Funds/Foundation
4. Development, Nature Conservation and Environment
4.1 Chaipattana Foundation
4.2 Remote Sensing Projects
4.3 Plant Germplasm Conservation Project
4.4 Water Resource Development Projects
5. Cultural Conservations
5.1 Restoration of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace
5.2 Museums
5.3 The Royal Cremation of H.M. Queen Rambhai Barni
6. Public Health
6.1 Thai Red Cross Society
6.2 Hospitals
6.3 Other projects on Public Health
1. Education
H.R.H. is patron of education in all senses of the word.
One of her official position is Head of the History Department at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.
In this capicity H.R.H. teaches, promotes department research projects and undertakes long-term staff
development programmes, often at her own personal expenses.
In addition H.R.H. has taken initiative in setting up many
schools and although these schools are later handed officially over to the Ministry of Education they
continue to receive her financial support, educational supplies and remain under her personal supervision.
Following are the examples of the schools set up at H.R.H.'s
initiative and/or under H.R.H. personal supervision.
1.1 Regular Schools
- Chitralada School
This is a private school originally established by
H.M. the King in the compound of Chitralada Palace, the Royal Residence, for the education of His children
and children of Their Majesty's entourage. The school has gradually opened to the public and the number
of students has increased to more than a thousand. His Majesty has relegated the supervision of the
school to H.R.H. This involves the process of admission, evaluation, curriculum and extra-curricular
activities, and financial support for the expansion of the school to accommodate the growing number of students.
Chitralada School is one of H.R.H. major responsibilities.
- Phra Tamnak Suankularp School (nursary to secondary)
A school set up within the Grand Palace compound in 1983
as a human resource development to supplement the material aspect of the restoration of the Grand Palace for the
Bangkok Bicentennials Celebration in 1982. This new school is housed in the actual building of the first palace
school of the same name set up by King Chulalongkorn in the nineteenth century.
- Piyachard School - Secondary School to fill the need in the rural area.
This school is set up just outside the compound of the
Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy in the Province of Nakhon Nayok at Her Royal Highness's
initiative, with her considerable financial support and continue to be under her personal supervision.
1.2 Border Patrol Police School
initiated by H.R.H.
Target Areas : Schools run by Border Patrol Police and schools
in needy areas as defined by H.R.H.
1. Food and Nutrition and Health Plan
Project 1 - Agriculture for School Lunch.
Project 2 - Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders.
2. Education Plan
Project 1 - Improvement of Educational Quality.
Project 2 - Education of Children under H.R.H.'s Patronage.
3. Economic Plan
Project 1 - Vocational Training.
Project 2 - Cooperative Promotion.
4. Environment - Conservation of Natural Resource.
1.3 Education for handicapped children
Example : Experimental School for deaf children
within the Grand Palace compound.
1.4 Day-care Centres for pre-school children
These centres have been set up in poor rural areas
to provide proper nutritions meals and training in basic nutrition principles.
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2. Education and Culture
Training centres are established within the
Grand Palace compound for traditional arts which are almost vanishing. One for feminine arts which
covers Thai traditional floral decorations, Thai traditional perfumery, traditional tapestry works and
traditional Thai cooking, another for masculine arts which covers Thai traditional mother-of-pearl
inlaid, Thai traditional motif stucco and sculpture, wood-carving etc.
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3. Supplementary Projects for Education
3.1 Library Projects
- H.R.H.'s wish to put education within reach of all sections of the people - "Let's join in making
a literate world" is so well known that the nation's gift on the 36th (3rd cycle) Birthday was the
establishment of Commemorative Public Libraries in 53 towns and cities and H.R.H. takes personal
interest to see that these libraries are well supplied.
- Providing books for schools and public libraries all over the country upon request.
- Selecting and providing books for schools in rural areas.
3.2 Thai Junior Encyclopedia Project
Thai Junior Encyclopedia Project by Royal Command
of H.M. the King, on-going project starting in 1973. H.R.H. is the Advisor of the Committee of Thai Junior
Encyclopedia Project.
3.3 Education Funds/Foundation
- The Ananda Mahidol Foundation
The Foundation has been established by H.M. the King in 1959 in Memoriam of His Brother,
H.M. King Ananda Mahidol. The objective of the Foundation is to build up a body of scholastic
elites in all academic disciplines. Since 1988 H.R.H. has been Acting-Chairman of the Executive
Committee responsible for policy direction and final selection of the recipients of the scholarship
of the Foundation.
- Various foundations have been established under the chairman-ship of Her Royal
Highness to support needy children from primary up to university level. In many cases the major
part of the funds has been H.R.H.'s personal donations. The proceeds from Her Travel Diaries
are also donated to the Somdetch Phra Debaratanarajasuda's Foundation for Education.
- ICI Scholarships
To commemorate the 60th Birthday of H.M. in 1987 the ICI (Imperial Chemical Industry) Asiatic (Agriculture)
Company has donated 6 scholarships for postgraduate studies in agriculture in the United Kingdom and
Thailand. His Majesty has designated H.R.H. as Chairman of the Selection Committee.
- Funding Support from Foreign Countries
In recognition of the importance of the educational projects initiated by H.R.H., financial support has been
presented from the following foreign donors :-
- Deutsche W.elthungerhilfe GERMAN AGRO ACTION, Germany
1982-1990 1 million bahts per year to support the School Agriculture for Lunch Project.
- FAO
- 1987-1989 US$ 98,000 to the Department of Soil Sciences and Botany, Kasetsart University for the
project on "Development of soilless Culture for Crop Production", initiated by Her Royal Highness.
- 1993 US$ 24,506 to the "Agriculture Project for Mid-day Meals", to extend the Project initiated by H.R.H.
- IRRI (International Rice Research Institute)
4 training scholarships in the Philippines at Los Banos in 1992-1993 in
: Farming Systems Research.
: International Network on Soil Fertility and Sustainable Rice Farming.
: Rice Biotechnology.
: Tissue Culture.
: Product of Fruit Beverage.
- FRANCE
1991-1995 The French Government supports two scholarships in studying Remote Sensing at
Groupement de D้veloppement de T้l้-d้tection A้rospatiale (G.D.T.A.) at Toulouse, France.
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4. Development, Nature Conservation and Environment
4.1 Chaipattana Foundation
Even before She has completed her university
education H.R.H. has acted as Private Secretary to His Majesty the King for most of the royal initiated
development projects which have been the main concern of His Majesty since his accession almost 50
years ago. The implementation of these projects has been crystallized by the establishment of the
Chaipattana Foundation (Chaipattana means achieving victory in development work) in June 1988 with
His Majesty as Patron and H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as Chairman.
The objective of the Foundation emphasizes
projects on environmental quality development and improvement paralleled with those on economic
and social development.
4.2 Remote Sensing Projects
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn has been interested in resource survey by satellite in various disciplines, including natural
resources, geography, cartography, rural development and archaeology for a considerably long time.
The Princess had received formal studies and paid study visits to various institutes of higher learning
and agencies concerned with remote sensing in the country and abroad, including the Remote Sensing
Division of the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT). Her Royal Highness has devoted her time
and efforts in research activities to determine the accuracy and reliability of the use of satellite remote
sensing in practical work.
4.2.1 Her Royal Highness was personally
engaged in the following research studies:
- The Study of Land Use/Land Cover Map
Accuracy Using Digital High Resolution Imagery for Narathiwat Province.
- Applications of Geographical Information
System for Agricultural Development in Amphoes Phatthana
Nikhom and Chai Badan, Lop Buri Province.
4.2.2 Thailand From Space
Realizing the potential uses of aerial photos
and satellite images in various aspects, H.R.H. expressed a strong desire that aerial photos and satellite
images obtained over the entire country should be put together in a book of pictures or images with
captions similar to an atlas, because such an image book, if published, will be a very useful reference
for disseminating the knowledge about the land resources of the country to the public-at-large. Besides,
it will be most useful for scientists and technicians, who, in the surveying and mapping of natural
resources and environment, could use it for the efficient planning and development of the country.
The Executive Board of the National Research
Council of Thailand unanimously agreed to carry out the initial idea expressed by Her Royal Highness.
A sub-committee comprising of experts from the National Coordinating Committee on Satellite Remote
Sensing, experts from the National Committee on Geography and experts from the National Committee
on Oceanography , all under the aegis of the National Research Council of Thailand, was set up to
prepare the manuscript. The book entitled "Thailand from Space" based on H.R.H. initiative was
published in April 1991 on the occasion of H.R.H. 36th Birthday to commemorate H.R.H.'s untiring
efforts and initiative in the applications of satellite images for natural and environmental resource survey.
4.3 Plant Germplasm Conservation Project
Set up in 1992 by H.R.H. as one activity in the Royal
Projects Programme. The objective is to provide an additional storage for plant genetic resources and to
stimulate and cooperate with other agencies already engaged in conservation with the view to set up a
permanent network for short, medium and long term conservation of plant germplasm throughout the country.
4.4 Water Resource Development Projects
H.R.H. has been involved in developing water
resource to provide water for consuming, agriculture and in preserving water sources as well as trying
to solve the problem of water pollution. Projects initiated and supervised by H.R.H. comprise the acquisition
of water in the needy areas by constructing dams and reservoirs, irrigation system and water distribution system.
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5. Cultural Conservations
In recognition of her personal interest in culture and
cultural conservation H.R.H.'s Birthday, April 2, has been declared the National Heritage Conservation Day
and celebrated annually.
5.1 Restortion of the Temple of the Emerald
Buddha and the Grand Palace
As Chairman of the Board of Directors for the
Restoration of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace for the Ratanakosin (Bangkok)
Bicentennial Celebration in 1982. H.R.H. was personally responsible for all the restoration works included
artistic aspect as well as engineering and architecture procedures. The Terrestial Photogrammetric was
used in the restoration process. Artists and craftsmen of all branches of traditional Thai arts and crafts were
rounded up from all over the country. After the restoration works were completed many of the artists and
craftsmen have been retained and formed the core of the new division in Traditional Arts and Crafts in the
Department of the Fine Arts, Ministry of Education, and many have become members of SUPPORT Foundation
set up by H.M. the Queen to provide a source of supplementary income for the rural people as well as conserve
the tradition arts and crafts.
5.2 Museums
- Museum of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha has been set up in the Grand Palace compound to
display the modern process of restoration as well as the fragments of the original objects which had
to be replaced because of the degeneration of the materials.
- The Viman-Mek Palace Museum in the Dusit Palace compound. The Museum, the largest golden
teak building in the world built by King Chulalongkorn, was originally a residential palace and has
been renovated and turned under H.R.H.'s supervision into a period museum in 1982, also to
celebrate the Ratanakosin (Bangkok) Bicentennials. The Museum displays the objects and Thai
life style during King Chulalongkorn's period.
5.3 The Royal Cremation of H.M. Queen Rambhai Barni
H.R.H. had taken full responsibility in the royal ceremony
which included the preparation and supervision of the construction of the royal crematorium and all the procedures
concerning the ceremony.
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6. Public Health
6.1 Thai Red Cross Society
H.R.H. has been the Executive Vice-President and
Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Thai Red Cross Society since 1977. This position is not an
honorary one. As the Executive Vice-President H.R.H. initiates policies and follows them up through regular
committee meetings and visits. She has also initiated and established relations with the Red Cross of other
countries and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Thai Red Cross Society has sent relief to
areas affected by natural disasters. H.R.H. helped to supervise the Cambodian Refugee's Camps set up in
1979 by Her Majesty the Queen, President of the Thai Red Cross Society.
Examples of major projects initiated personally by
H.R.H. are :-
1. Thai Red Cross Children Home
The Home is established by H.R.H. in September
17, 1981. The purpose is to provide for the physical, mental and social well-being of the children in the
orphanage at Vajiralongkorn Building, Chulalongkorn Hospital.
2. Horse Farm Project to produce serum
3. Red Cross Centres
6.2 Hospitals
Several projects to build and to improve facilities
for the sick and the poor have been initiated by H.R.H. Her involvements range from fund raising, supervising
the construction of new and renovation of old buildings, acquiring the equipments as well as finding sources
for continual funding support in most of the major state hospitals in Bangkok and in the provinces, for
examples in Chulalongkorn Hospital, Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok and Somdetch Hospital at Sri Raja in Chon Buri province.
6.3 Other projects on Public Health
- Goat Farm to encourage the consumption of milk especially among the young
- Iodine : Introduction of Iodine to the deficient areas using schools as the media.
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