ThaiHistory
The Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization), or HRDI, was established in response to the Royal Thai Government’s policy to support and further expand the achievements of the Royal Project in promoting sustainable socio-economic and environmental development in the highland areas of Thailand. The Royal Decree Establishing the Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) entered into force on 15 October 2005, with the objective of serving as an institutional mechanism to strengthen research and development efforts aimed at generating innovation; preserving and enhancing local wisdom; conserving the value of biodiversity; facilitating the transfer of knowledge derived from the Royal Project and its integration with indigenous knowledge systems; strengthening highland communities; and promoting participatory approaches to watershed and upstream forest restoration. The Institute also seeks to foster international academic cooperation and exchanges in order to advance knowledge development and innovation for the broader benefit of the nation.
Subsequently, the Royal Decree Establishing the Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) (No. 2), promulgated on 9 June 2009, expanded the Institute’s mandate to include the management and administration of the Royal Flora Exposition Park 2006, the site of the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek International Horticultural Exposition held in commemoration of the auspicious occasions of the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne and His Majesty’s 80th Birthday Anniversary. On 23 January 2010, His Majesty the King graciously bestowed upon the park the name “Royal Park Rajapruek,” which was subsequently confirmed in English by the Bureau of the Royal Household as “Royal Park Rajapruek.”
Furthermore, on 25 April 2016, the name of the “Royal Project Extension Project” was officially changed to the “Highland Development Project Using Royal Project System,” reflecting the continued application of the Royal Project approach in sustainable highland development initiatives.
