In 1976, His Majesty the King visited the Karen people in Amphoe Chom Thong, Chiang Mai Province and granted rice paddies to the many village headmen to start a “rice bank” for their communities. His Majesty the King also gave advice to the Karen people, suggesting that a few selected villagers form a committee to oversee the amount of rice given out on loan and received and to manage the “rice bank” account. Local villagers that need rice as food have to sign their names stating how much rice is being borrowed from the bank. When the villagers are able to collect enough rice, they then must return the rice to the rice bank as well as pay a small amount of interest as agreed upon with the committee. The rice that is the interest will be kept in the rice bank and will serve as food for everyone in the village.