Welcome Message
Dear Delegates,
Alternative development is a critical component of a comprehensive drug control strategy. When farmers engage in illicit crop cultivation, they typically do so because of poverty and the need to meet basic needs. It is the absence of legal and sustainable income opportunities that forces them to engage in cultivation of illegal drugs causing a problem for the country, the region and the world. The slash-and-burn technique of clearing virgin forests as used by the indigenous hill tribe people living in Thailand’s mountainous North also has an increasingly adverse effect on the environment, resulting in deforestation of vast watershed forests.
The Royal Project is the earliest and most innovative project initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great in the year 1969 aiming at addressing those problems for over 50 years, under the holistic model towards sustainable and effective approaches to alternative development, from the introduction of new cash crops to improve the quality of life of the highland people, the water and soil conservation, and the preservation of watershed forests. A wide variety of farm activities which yield larger profits than opium has been introduced to the hill farmers as well as providing assistance in the form of growing and marketing techniques.
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua (King Rama X) has made firm commitments to nurture, conserve, and extend the work of the Royal Project Foundation to ensure its continued operation, offering the highland people with a better living while generating positive consequences to other countries regionally and globally.
The results can be seen clearly not only in tribal communities, but also in the supermarkets of big cities and in numerous new export products. The Royal Project’s effectiveness has gained recognition worldwide for its success in eradicating opium poppies and improving the well-being of the people. The UNODC removed Thailand from the list of significant opium producing countries in 2003.
The International Conference on Rising to the Challenges of Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) through Sustainable Highland Development: The Royal Project Model, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand during 22 – 24 December 2019 is intending to provide an important platform for portraying the experience of Royal Project’s 50-year journey on highland alternative development shedding light on how the Royal Project Model can be a means to realizing the SDGs. It is also to promote an exchange of knowledge, experience, and best practices among different stakeholders to create a model that is sustainable and inclusive for the prosperity of the highlanders regionally and globally.
I take great pride in welcoming all the delegates to the Conference. I certainly believe that the Conference will bear fruitful results and lay the firm groundwork for future international partnership in employing alternative development approach to assist countries with persisting drug problems.
Chairman of the Boards of Directors
Royal Project Foundation
December 2019
Background
The Royal Project Foundation (RPF) is based in the north of Thailand, founded by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great in 1969, aiming to improve the quality of life of hill-tribe people by diminishing opium growing and reviving natural forests and water resources. For over five decades, a good number of national and international organizations have recognized the achievements of the Royal Project Foundation as the best practice in sustainable highland development.
His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua has made firm commitments to nurture, conserve, and extend the work of the Royal Project Foundation to ensure its continued operation, offering the highland people with a better living while generating positive consequences to other countries regionally and globally.
On the occasion of the Royal Project’s 50th Anniversary, the Royal Project Foundation and its partner, Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) (HRDI) consider it is timely to organize the International Conference on Rising to the Challenge of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Sustainable Highland Development: The Royal Project Model. This Conference will provide a platform for sharing to other organizations, both internally and internationally, successful endeavours, knowledge and experiences of the Royal Project on promotion of illicit crop replacement and support a holistic approach for sustainable highland development. Keynote Speakers from international organizations will be invited to share their experiences on SDGs on highland development. Moreover, representatives from the countries that have followed the Royal Project model and those practicing their alternative development model will also be invited to facilitate knowledge sharing, lessons learnt, and good practices for sustainable highland development in the region and the world.
Objectives
- To commemorate the benevolence of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great’s profound wisdom and graciousness in bestowing the Royal Project for the benefit and happiness of the Thai highland people.
- To demonstrate deep gratitude and respect to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua for his firm commitments to nurture, conserve, and extend the Royal Project Foundation for the happiness of his subjects.
- To disseminate successful outcomes of the Royal Project highland development model that align with the SDGs.
- To demonstrate the expansion of knowledge and experiences of the Royal Project to other highland areas of the country beyond the scope of the Royal Project Foundation by Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization).
- To promote an exchange of knowledge, experience, and best practices among different stakeholders to create a model that is sustainable and inclusive for the prosperity of the highlanders regionally and globally.
Expected Results
- Knowledge and experiences for over 50 years of the Royal Project on sustainable highland development will be shared, hoping to be contributive to other interested parties internally and internationally.
- Extensive exchanges of knowledge, views, and experiences will be offered among experts, professionals and participants from various international countries and organizations.
- Strong connections and networks between international organizations and other relevant stakeholders on sustainable highland development will be made, leading to the SDGs.
Conference Programme
Conference Venue
The conference will be held
22 – 24 December 2019
at the Royal Park Rajapruek, Chiang Mai, Thailand
VIP Entrance Route
Participants & Staff Entrance Route
Royal Project Foundation (RPF) background information video
English version
Highland Research and Development Institute (HRDI) background information video
English version
Thai version
HRDI Information Brochure
Download 'HRDI Information Brochure' document (PDF; 15.5mb; Last updated on: 13 December 2019)
General Information
| About the Royal Project Foundation (RPF) |
| About the Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) (HRDI) |
Contact Information
Foreign Relations Sub-division,
Highland Research and Development Institute (Public Organization) (HRDI)
Tel: +66 5332 8496-8 extension 1208
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.hrdi.or.th/rpfcon
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Accommodations Information
For more information please kindly see the "Participants Announcement" page 5-6 (2.4)
