On 9 September 2023, the Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hosted a field trip entitled ‘Sustainable Development, the Rule of Law and Opportunities for All’ with Mr. Natapanu Nopakun, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information, leading a delegation comprising members of the diplomatic corps and foreign media in Thailand to visit ‘Roi Jai Rak’ Project in Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai province.

The ‘Roi Jai Rak’ Project, which is roughly translated as ‘Joining hearts to preserve and protect’, is a narcotics mitigation project under the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage. Her Royal Highness Princess Bajarakitiyabha, recognized the scale of the chronic and debilitating drug-related problem in the region and its interlinkage with poverty in the Huai San and Huai Mueng Ngam river basins in Chiang Mai province. It inspired HRH to establish ‘Roi Jai Rak’ as a way to improve the livelihoods of the people in the community using the Sustainable Alternative Livelihood Development approach, also aimed at targeting the illicit drug problem.

Mr. Narong Apichai, Chief Development Execution Officer of Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage, welcomed the delegation and provided a briefing on the project. The delegation then visited agricultural plantations under the project and had conversations with (1) those who joined the project, who were previously involved with drugs but since rehabilitated, together with the local civil servants from various agencies who have contributed towards the project’s development; and (2) members of the local community who have participated and benefited from the Roi Jai Rak project. The delegation also had an opportunity to visit the weekly communal marketplace and purchased local handicraft products.

During this study visit, the delegation learned about Thailand’s approach to advance sustainable development through targeted local projects. In this case, a development project focused on reducing poverty, creating alternative jobs and income to drug-related activities, as well as holistic area development led and owned by the local population and based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.