The Projects under Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (20)

The Projects under Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (20)
Thai rice : linking the ancient to the globalization
Rice is an important food crop as it is a
major source of energy for about half of the world
population. Thailand has been recognized as one of
the world’s biggest rice exporters. It has served as an
emergency source of supply for needed countries in
several world food shortage times. Thai rice has a
unique characteristic of a long slender and translucent
grain with pleasant odor. At the world’s Grain Contest
held in Regina, Canada, in 1933, Thai rice was first
known to the world. ‘Pin Kaew’ won the first prize and other local varieties won the second, third and eight other
prizes out of 20 prizes given. At present, Thai rice, especially Jasmine Rice (Khao Hom Mali), is well – known
and popular worldwide because of its quality and aroma.
To the Thai people, rice is the staple national food. At least 55 – 60% of daily calorie intake
comes from rice. In some rural and remote areas, this number can be as high as 70%. Rice is eaten in many
different ways. The milk – like liquid drained from boiling rice and high in vitamin contents is provided to the
young, the elderly and the sick. Grounded rice mixed with salt and banana is given as weaning food. To increase
its nutritive value, legume or sesame seeds can be added. Many Thai dessert dishes made from rice or rice
flour mixed with other ingredients such as Krayasart, have high protein and are very nutritious snack bar.
Rice has had an important role in Thais’ lives since the ancient time. It is not just staple food and
economic crop of the nation, but it has been linked very closely with Thai traditions and culture. There are traditional
and ritual practices at every step of rice cultivation. Thais play respect to ‘Phra Mae Pho Sop’, the Mother of Rice or
the Rice Goddess who protects and blesses rice fertility. The Rain – Begging Ceremony is a means of morale
boosting for farmers by praying to Rain God for plenty of water. The Communal Voluntary Labor is a customary
practice when family members, relatives, neighbors and everyone living in the same village gather to help each
other plough, transplant, harvest and store the grains in granaries. This valuable custom creates fraternal love
and cooperative spirits.
To provide the morale support to farmers and wish them success in rice growing in each year,
the Royal Ploughing Ceremony has been revived since 1960 by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The ceremony
consists of two rites: the Royal Ploughing Rite which is to celebrate the spirits of rice seeds, legumes, maize,
hays, sesame seed, etc. and the Annual First Ploughing Rite which is to mark the beginning of the rice growing
season. His Majesty the King is concerned for the farmer’s way of living. The King experimented new varieties
of rice and the planting of various kinds of crop to make most benefit out of the field at his residence, Chitralada

Palace. The rice seeds as well as seeds of rotation crops are packed in small bags to distribute to farmers all
over the country. Those seeds are considered by the farmers to be auspicious and thus encourage them to do
the farming.
From
Thai Rice by H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
At International Rice Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
November 25, 1994.
By following His Majesty the King’s footstep, Her Royal Highness has promoted Thai rice in
many ways. In 1994, Her Royal Highness wrote a book entitled Thai Rice and gave a lecture at the 35 th Japan-
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Day in Japan to disseminate the high value and the virtue of Thai
rice. This book provides information on ‘Thai rice and Rice culture’ starting from the history of rice cultivation in
Thailand to future prospect of Thai rice.
Her Royal Highness has raised awareness and drawn attention about the value of Thai rice among
the Thais particularly the young generation. The Princess herself participates in every step of rice cultivation
from ploughing the soil with buffalo, driving the ploughing tractor to prepare the field, planting and harvesting
the rice. In some schools in remote areas where there is enough land for rice cultivation, she has asked the
schools to cultivate rice for their own consumption. Students engage in all steps of cultivation and many techniques
have been taught. In some places, rice mills are also established to mill rice for consumption and sometimes to
mill rice for the villages. The husks and brans are used for animal feeds.
Research has been carried out to improve Thai rice production with long history of collaboration
of foreign organizations especially Japan and IRRI since 1960. With growing modern technology, Her Royal Highness
has given guidance to the Thai researchers of the ‘Rice Genome Project’ of the National Center for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology to conserve wild rice and native rice, including the main genes in those rice
varieties. Thai rice varieties for higher yields and good nutritional quality can be improved for the benefit of Thai
people as well as for the well – being of the world population.