During 29-30 August 2014, Mr. Chakri Srichawana, Director-General of the Department of Protocol and high ranking officials from the Protocol Department led 29 members of the Diplomatic Corps in Thailand and their spouses, headed by H.E. Mrs. Christine Schraner Burgener, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, to Saraburi and Lopburi provinces to expand their knowledge and horizons on the Royal Initiative Project and a history of the modern Thai diplomacy.

During the two day programme, members of the Diplomatic Corps and their spouses visited the Royally-initiated Wat Mongkol Chaipattana Area Development Project and received a briefing by an expert from the Chaipattana Foundation on His Majesty the King’s Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy and the New Theory approach aimed to strengthen Thailand’s economic foundation and enhance a livelihood of Thai farmers, whom regarded as a backbone of the country.  They also wandered around demonstration plots while learning about His Majesty’s concept on sustainable use of water and land management. Moreover, to make members of the Diplomatic Corps and their spouses gain better understanding about the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, Mr. Chakri had led them to participate in a self-learning activities on sustainable development approach at the Betagro Learning Center including a parachute rice planting and integrated livestock and farming. To showcase a chronicle of the modern Thai diplomacy , the Department of Protocol brought members of the Diplomatic Corps and their spouses to the Narai Ratchaniwet Palace or King Narai National Museum in Lopburi Province where they saw a reminiscent of a notable chapter of Thailand’s diplomatic services.

Before heading back to Bangkok, members of the Diplomatic Corps and spouses also visited the Lopburi Solar Farm, one of  Asia’s largest solar photovoltaic plants and acknowledged about Thailand’s policy on alternative and clean energy development which illustrated His Majesty’s far-sighted vision on renewable energy . On cultural aspects, they were invited to join religious ceremony and wide ranging cultural activities such as an offering of foods to monks (tak bart), Thai cooking class, floristry, as well as to explore a health benefits of the Thai traditional massage.

The study trip is one of the Department of Protocol’s flagship projects with priority objective to promote His Majesty the King’s initiatives and development endeavor as well as to offer different angles of the Thai way of life, unseen attractions, and unique culture to members of the Diplomatic Corps in Thailand. Apart from broadening their knowledge and perspective about Thailand, members of the Diplomatic Corps were very impressed with a warm welcome and friendly hospitality rendered by and Lopburi governors and their authorities concerned.