The person behind the success of vetiver technology in Thailand is His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the first person in the country to recognize the potential value of vetiver for soil and water conservation. His Majesty advocated the idea that studies and experiments should be conducted on vetiver grass, initially to Dr. Sumet Tantivejkul, Secretary-General of the Royal Development Projects Board on 22 June 1991, and later to concerned parties on various occasions, particularly when he visited the sites of the Royal Development Study Centres and the Royal Development Projects.