His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej initiated the
establishment of the Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development
Study Centre on December 11, 1982 in the area of Khun Mae
Kuang Forest, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province, on a
total area of about 8,500 rai (1,360 hectares) to be the centre of experimentation and research for
the suitable method for watershed area development and disseminate the results to the villagers.
The intention is to achieve the optimum use of the water flowing down from the hilltop by means of
building check dams and fish bone-shaped ditches in order to preserve and maintain soil moisture
during the dry season which is useful for reforestation and can also serve as wet fire breaks. The water
that flows down to the foothill can be retained in the reservoir for crop cultivation, animal husbandry and
fishery. In the reforestation, the indigenous tree species as well as the trees for timber, for fruits and for
firewood are replanted to be the sources of seeds which will float down the hill and germinate in lower
areas to become a dense and fully-fertile forest.
Later, on February 3, 1984, His Majesty the King added that the Centre conducts the study
mainly on the complete development of forests in watershed areas. At the outset was the study on
forestry; whereas, at the end was the study on fishery in the reservoirs. These activities were coupled
with the studies in the field of agriculture, livestock and milch cow development as well as agroindustry.
The aim was to become a complete development study centre which would generate the
true applicable benefits to the people coming to observe the Centre’s activities.