press release Chevron and Partners to Continue Year Five of 'A Journey Inspired by the King'

Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd. and the Sufficiency Economy Institute, Agri-Nature Foundation and network members from all sectors are continuing the fifth year of The Power of Human Energy: A Journey Inspired by the King, based on the “Nationwide Expansion” concept in remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The King bequeathed his philosophy of soil, water, and forest management to his Thai subjects, inspiring others via the success stories of those implementing it as appropriate to socio-geographical conditions in order to spread knowledge, encourage implementation, and expand the success of the project from the Pa Sak River Basin to other watersheds to sustainably alleviate flooding and drought.

 

“For the past four years, The Power of Human Energy: A Journey Inspired by the King has succeeded in fostering understanding and expanding the number of participants and networks from the Pa Sak River Basin to up to 24 other watersheds for a total of 25 throughout the country.” said Artit Krichphiphat, general manager of business support for Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd., a private network member and key force in propelling the project. “This has enabled the creation of model areas as learning resources, and it has helped to solve economic and social problems. We have seen clear and concrete changes among project participants and its real-world applications in restoring drought-stricken areas and improving livelihoods; evidence that the King’s philosophy can truly help solve such problems. Chevron is therefore offering ongoing sponsorship because it sees these efforts as a way to achieve sustainable development and self-reliance.

 

“Operations in the fifth year of this project are based on the concept Nationwide Expansion,” said Dr. Wiwat Salayakamthorn, president of the Agri-Nature Foundation and Sufficiency Economy Institute, academic network members, “In order to highlight examples of the project ‘spreading’ to the Pa Sak River Basin and other watersheds with the Lending a Hand program, the traditional Thai custom of offering reciprocal assistance as a strategy for fostering harmony and connecting the various networks. It’s also about the exchange of lessons learned from land restoration based on the King’s philosophy in diverse socio-geographical conditions. This year we will therefore run a campaign in four areas: Bangkok, Ratchaburi, Udon Thani, and Lopburi, beginning with the Lending a Hand program at the King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, a partner playing an important role in designing areas in the network and those who want to apply the King’s philosophy in managing their own land.”

 

“KMITL has participated in the project since the third year (2015),” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pachernchaiphat Chaiyasith, senior executive vice president for University Resources & Services at KMITL on the role of KMITL, “With the Faculty of Architecture taking on the role of designing area use and water retention based on the ‘mound, reservoir, and paddy’ model for interested members of the public. A lot of people have registered their desire for this land design service, in fact so many that we can’t offer it to everyone. This means that this year, in 2017, KMITL has decided to expand the understanding of architectural land design based on the King’s philosophy in order connect the cooperating networks in all sectors, both domestically and abroad. This will be done by holding trainings for faculty and students of all eighteen Faculties of Architecture nationwide to expand the capability of the academic sector network to offer this service to interested members of the public throughout the country.”

 

“For the fifth year of this project,” added Dr. Chaiyasith, “KMITL is using demonstration agriculture plots at the Faculty of Agriculture Technology, one of four agricultural plots in the Lending a Hand program, for designs and making improvements in order to create a city-based agriculture learning resource for members of the public in the future. We are also encouraging students to learn and apply their learning in the real world in the hope that KMITL students will work together for the good of society by designing areas for members of the public interested in employing the King’s philosophy on their own land.”

 

“After participating in the project, we discovered issues with the data collection systems, which was making it difficult to monitor results,” said Assist. Prof. Pichet Sowitayasakul, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at KMITL, an academic network member participating in designs at many project areas. “We therefore created the research project ‘Thai Socio-Geographical Designs for Participatory Community Water Management Monitoring and Assessment,’ carried out by the Integrated Technology Operation KMITL (ITOKmitl). This has been sponsored by Chevron, who sees the importance of collecting data systematically and to academic standards. The research project started operating in October of last year and we expect it to run for two years and be completed in 2018, with data collection in three areas covering 300 rai: Lampang Province, Udon Thani province, and Tak Province. The research results obtained will be transformed into lessons to serve as learning packets and manuals for economic, social, and environmental rehabilitation with the involvement of all sectors. ITOKmitl plans to present the research on an international stage to confirm the success of the resource management theory based on the concepts of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in providing multi-faceted solutions.”

 

The fifth year of The Power of Human Energy: A Journey Inspired by the King continues to spread knowledge of the King’s philosophy and local wisdom as real-world applications as part of Lending and Hand in a further three areas. The next programs will be held from 19-20 August 2017 at Rai Suk Klang Chai of Ajarn Sukachai Suphasiri in Pa Wai Subdistrict, Suan Pueng District, Ratchaburi Province. Those interested can find details at www.facebook.com/ajourneyinspiredbytheking