His Majesty truly deserves to be called the Developer King for his dedication to alleviating the people’s hardships and improving their quality of life.
The Royal Development Projects (RDPs) were directly inspired by the insight His Majesty gained while visiting rural areas. He realised that any projects that truly improved the lives of the people must go hand-in-hand with the protection of the environment and sustainable use of natural resources.
The first initiative to help people was initiated in 1951 when His Majesty authorised the Department of Fisheries to acquire Tilapia Mosambica fish from Penang through the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The fish were initially raised in the pond at the Ambarra Villa of the Dusit Palace in Bangkok. On November 7, 1953, His Majesty distributed the fingerlings to village and district leaders throughout the country for propagation and further distribution among the rural people in order to provide them with an alternative source of protein.
The first RDP which directly emphasised rural development emerged in 1952 when His Majesty donated a number of bulldozers to the Naresuan Border Patrol Police unit for construction of a road leading to Huai Mongkol Village in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province. This was to enable the villagers to easily commute and transport their produce for sale in markets outside the village.
His Majesty never simply issues instructions or gives orders. The impetus always comes from the local people. Before he makes any proposal, His Majesty first studies the available data and talks to the people involved. He then consults with officials and academics before passing the initiative on to the government. All royal development projects have started in this way.