The 81 varieties of Thai rice seed have been deposited in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault on the 4th July 2013, to preserve the variety of rice seeds, and to ensure that the seeds will be secured from the global crisis and disaster.  The Seed Vault is an attempt to provide insurance against the loss of seeds in genebanks, therefore, it was selected to be deposited plant seeds from more than 50 countries around the world. 

 

     Regarding the Royal visit of HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on 12 March 2013, she paid a visit to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and deposited two species of Thai bean by herself. On that occasion, she had an initiation in depositing Thai rice seed in the SGSV and brought to HRH recommendation to the Department of Rice, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to process the deposition of rice seed in order to preserve rice seed, not only for Thai people but it will be benefit to the world. 

 

     On the 4th July 2013, Thailand's Rice Department delegations brought such 81 varieties of rice seed which was selected and duplicated from 25,000 rice varieties maintained in the rice seed bank of Thailand, to deposit in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The 81 varieties of rice seed are recommended rice cultivars of Thailand. In addition, the number 81 was chosen in order to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Sirikit's 81st Birthday Anniversary on 12 August this year.