ROYAL CULTURAL INITIATIVES
In remote and impoverished areas, such as the highlands along Thailand's border, far-flung islands and rural areas far from public transport, people lived within their own means in the local environment, using local resources, in isolation. These communities develop their own cultures, unique from the mainstream Thai culture.
The Princess Mother recognised the importance of the culture of every community, regardless of religion or belief system, whether they worshipped the supernatural (ghosts, spirits and demigods), whether according to Buddhist, Christian or Islamic teachings; or other beliefs.
Her Royal Highness visited and observed the cultures of Sakai and Orang Laut communities, minorities living in southern Thailand. She visited the Thais inhabiting all the islands along both coasts as part of her efforts to alleviate their suffering and raise their morale. On her visits she would bring along with her gifts of rice and various necessities; in some places she also granted scholarship funds to the youth, and wherever possible she took volunteer doctors to tend the ailments of those she visited.
In the highlands of northern Thailand there are a number of hill tribes such as the Karen, Hmong, Lahu, Akha, Mien, Thin, Lisu, Lawa and Khamu spread across several provinces. The hill people are poor, and their lives difficult. They encroached on forests to practice slash-and-burn agriculture, and planted opium to sell for cash to buy the necessities of their lives. These practices damaged the environment.
Apart from the ecological aspects, the fact that they did not speak Thai, were uninformed of events, and largely illiterate and ignorant to the law, made them vulnerable to infiltration by those working against the Thai society and people. This affected the well being of the hill tribes themselves, and the security of the society at large.
The Thai Hill Crafts Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother
The Princess Mother graciously helped the hill tribes to enjoy a better life within their own cultural traditions, and in a context of full human rights. In 1972 she supported the establishment of The Thai Hill Crafts Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother to promote and preserve the handicrafts of the various tribes, and to encourage tribes people to pursue these arts as supplementary occupations to agriculture so that they might improve their incomes and lives.
She also encouraged other aspects of hill tribe development, of which a most important one was youth development. She made hill tribe self-reliance a key principle of development.
The Thai Hill Crafts Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother taught tribes people how to modify their handicrafts to meet commercial standards, and introduced the products to the market. Once the hill tribe handicrafts were widely known and accepted, this project was concluded and the function assumed by the private sector.
In 1985 the Foundation revised its objectives to include cultural preservation, environmental improvement in deteriorated communities, and the provision of aid to impoverished rural people, both hill tribes and lowlanders. At the same time, the Foundation was renamed the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother.
In the middle of 1987 the Princess Mother commenced the Doi Tung Development Project, to renew the degraded forests and improve the quality of life of the people living on Doi Tung mountain in Chiang Rai Province, and appointed the Mae Fah Luang Foundation to act as coordinator between the government, state enterprises and private sector in implementing the project.
At present, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, granddaughter of the Princess Mother, graciously serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, which continues to run the Doi Tung Project.
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