On 26 November 2002 the king wrote about the street dogs:
"...dogs from the street can have all the desirable qualities that one could want from pet dogs. Most adopted stray dogs are usually humble and exceptionally faithful to their owners as if they are grateful for this kindness. Moreover, they are not inferior to imported dogs in terms of intelligence. Some are attractive or have a distinctive smart look like Thongdaeng.
In this country, there are thousands to choose from. They are, in fact, too numerous, but if the authorities would help, many people would be more than willing to give a suitable home for these dogs. It would help to solve part of the problem of dangerous stray dogs as well as reduce the import of expensive "luxury pets" which take a toll on the economy of the country. Therefore, we should encourage the improvement of the existing varieties of Thai dogs, which can provide good looking as well as faithful pets.