existen The Royal Chitralada Projects is set in Chitralada Villa, the royal residence of Their Majesties the King and Queen in Bangkok. The term makes one think of splendour and magnificence, which are shared by royal palaces all over the world.
But is there any other royal palace in the world like Chitralada Villa where there are rice fields, Nil fish ponds, Suan Chitralada Dairy Farm, Tissue culture plant, mushroom cultivation unit and various kinds of pilot factories? All these projects concern tests and experiments in agriculture and agricultural products. Agriculture work is the main occupation of the Thai people. The Royal Chitralada Projects, as a result, were initiated to undertake research studies to find to the root causes of the problems as well as create a practical knowledge base. Probably, there is no other royal palace like this in the whole world.
In 1961 His Majesty King Bhumibol ordered the Rice Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to improve varieties of rice for both transplanted and upland rice fields to be planted at Chitralada Villa.
In carrying out the project, Mom Rachawong Thepparit Devakul used a six-wheeled tractor with a 8.5 hp diesel engine (Iron tractor) to plough the land. His Majesty personally gave instructions to readjust the tractor, making it suit the work better. His Majesty also drove the tractor by himself and went to the demonstration plot regularly to observe and to record the progress of growth of the rice that he personally sowed at each stage in detail until its harvest. Then His Majesty understood the obstacles that the peasants had experienced and tried to find ways to overcome them.ce of mankind.
All the above are The Royal Chitralada Projects conducted inside Chitralada Villa that have not only made this royal residence of King Bhumibol of Thailand quite unlike any other royal palace in the World in appearance, but have brought about enormous benefits to the Thai people as a whole.