news Chevron Supports “Pa Sak Watershed Rehabilitation Project Phase 3”

Bangkok (February 14, 2019) –  Recently, Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production Limited, led by Mrs. Hatairat Articharte (2^nd from right), policy, government and public affairs manager, donated 12,980,000 baht to support Pa Sak Watershed Rehabilitation Project Phase 3. The project was represented by Mr.Traiphop Khotwongsa (2^nd from left), chairman of Agri-Nature Foundation and representative of Sufficiency Economy Institute. The sponsorship aims to create successful models in the management of soil-water-forest and natural resources restoration in the Pa Sak watershed area. This includes human resources development in the alignment with Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and New Theory agriculture that His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol Adulyadej had initiated. These efforts aim to solve various water management issues and sustainably enhance the quality of lives of Thai people across the country.

 

Pa Sak Watershed Rehabilitation Project Phase 3 is set to run for 2 years, starting from January 2019 to December 2020 across seven provinces surrounding Pa Sak Watershed, namely Saraburi, Lopburi, Phetchabun, Loei, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. The project organizes training sessions to provide both theoretical and practical knowledge of the Sufficiency Economy to its network and the general public with the intention of developing mentors who can further transfer such knowledge. This is mainly to support growing interest in the project. Additionally, communal rice harvesting activities will be used as a mechanic to educate the local communities in order to build a water management model according to the Late King’s Philosophy. The project aims to educate at least 960 local residents around Pa Sak Watershed. The project expects to create at least 42 successful water management models, develop 35 mentors, and build two Sufficiency Economy learning centers.

 

Pa Sak Watershed Rehabilitation Project, the collaboration between Chevron Thailand, Agri-Nature Foundation and Sufficiency Economy Institute, has been operating since 2014 and has a strategic plan to operate until 2020. With a budget of 35,920,000 baht from Chevron Thailand during the 7-year-run, the project is committed to widely disseminating the knowledge of the Late King's Philosophy under “The Koke Nong Na Model” - a technique to manage soil, water, and forest management in combination with their local wisdom. The project strives to educate communities in the Pa Sak Watershed because it is the hardest one to manage. With steep sloped terrains, heavy rains in the rainy season result in flash floods in the lower areas, while drought is common in the dry season. Moreover, it is also the watershed that His Majesty the Late King Bhumibol deeply cared about.

 

During the first five years of its operation, both the project in phase 1 and 2 have registered measurable success in 75 areas around Saraburi, Lopburi, and Phetchabun. In these areas, six learning centers have been established, and more than 79,500 people have joined the activities and benefited from training workshops. For phase 3, the project will expand its coverage to Loei, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya to extend its success throughout the entirety of Pa Sak Watershed in the near future.