Queen Mother's Forest Project Transforms Rural Thai Lives

SAKHON NAKHON, Oct 31 (TNA) - Villagers in Sakon Nakhon province, are expressing profound gratitude for the late Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother's vision, which established the nation's first "Pa Rak Nam" (Forest Love Water) Project, significantly improving local livelihoods and agricultural water access.

The project began over 40 years ago, driven by Her Majesty's unwavering commitment to environmental restoration after witnessing widespread deforestation, poverty and water scarcity among local people.

The project's philosophy was encapsulated in Her Majesty's royal speech to the Tham Tio villagers on December 20, 1982:

"The King is water, I will be the forest—a forest loyal to water. The King builds reservoirs, I will build forests."

Her Majesty initiated the project with a focus on raising awareness of forest conservation as the source of waterways. She led the planting of trees, including Iron Wood, Burmese Rosewood, and Eucalyptus, in a one-rai (approx. 0.4 acre) plot adjacent to the Kham Chuang Reservoir.

To encourage conservation, the Queen Mother mandated that villagers care for and protect the forest. She provided 12 residents with a monthly payment of 1,500 baht for three years and directed them to maintain the forest and undertake supplementary planting in the Phu Pha Lek National Park area. Her Majesty realized that fostering a sense of love and preservation for the trees among the people was essential for long-term success.

Today, the trees not only retain moisture in the soil but also provide villagers with a sustainable source of fuel for cooking. After three years of growth, the wood can also be used for repairing or building homes.

"The main occupations here are rice farming and rubber planting. With a secure water source, villagers are now able to grow a variety of mixed crops for sale during the dry season when they are not farming rice. The locals have better jobs and an improved quality of life, said Bannasak Chanthama, District Chief of Song Dao.

Pipat Karunanam, a 76-year-old resident and one of the 12 original caretakers who received the royal stipend, expressed her deep sense of loss following the Queen Mother's passing:

"I was granted an audience with Her Majesty. Before, I had no rice fields. Because of the Queen, I have rice fields, I have rubber plantations. I am able to earn a living. I pray she ascends to heaven."

The original Pa Rak Nam model now covers 17,000 rai (6,725 acres) of restored, ecologically balanced forest. The project has benefited over 6,000 people across 12 villages, who have successfully developed a strong collective consciousness for protecting their forest resources. -819 (TNA)