DoiTung brand. She said, “People should not buy
our products out of sympathy. We have to meet
a certain standard, and not make a loss.” She
was aware that the project could not help them
indefinitely, so that any economic activity had to
be self-sustaining. This became the underlying
philosophy for production and sales of DoiTung
products: with this discernment for high standards
and quality, the Doi Tung Development Project has
been able to create a successful DoiTung brand
under four business units: food (mainly coffee and
macadamia products), handicrafts, horticultural
and other agricultural goods, and tourism. Since
2000, DoiTung has been self-sufficient.
His Majesty’s Technological Advances and
Concepts: From Son to Mother
Dr. Riksh recounted how the Princess Mother
learned from His Majesty the King’s royal initiative
projects as the Doi Tung Development Project proceeded.
One example was the planting of vetiver
grass to prevent soil erosion on Doi Tung, which
then was expanded into the Vetiver Grass Development
Project for further research and development
for application elsewhere in Thailand and overseas.
“When HRH the Princess Mother started the
Doi Tung Development Project, she envisioned Doi
Tung would one day become an important tourist
destination. To facilitate visitors, the government
built roads from the valley up to Doi Tung. The Department
of Highways had little experience in those
days in building roads in the mountains. For their
first attempts they used the same road-construction
techniques as on the flat plains, expanding each
side extensively. But during the rainy season, the
soil [and parts of the roads] would be eroded and
washed away. The Princess Mother discussed this
problem with His Majesty the King at Srapathum
Palace [where she resided in Bangkok]. His Majesty
suggested she introduce vetiver grass on Doi Tung,
as he had read in a World Bank report that vetiver
grass can help prevent soil erosion. The Princess
Mother took his advice, and brought vetiver grass
from Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima, and
Tambon Khun Talay, Muang District, Surat Thani, to
Doi Tung, where she had a plot of vetiver planted.
The Princess Mother visited the plot numerous
times, and even tried planting some by herself.
When the grass had grown sufficiently strong, she
suggested we check to see how strong the roots
were, and whether they would be strong enough
to prevent soil erosion. We did as she instructed,
digging up the grass and spraying water on the
roots to clear the soil away. We found the vetiver
grass, after only 9 months, had grown roots up to
3 to 4 metres long, growing in thick tufts. Later,
when Their Majesties the King and Queen came
to visit at Doi Tung Villa, HRH the Princess Mother
took them to see the vetiver plot. As a result of the
vision of the Princess Mother, and the wisdom of
His Majesty the King, we are now able to use vetiver
grass to prevent soil erosion.
“Now, if you go up to Doi Tung, you will see
vetiver grass grown along the roads and in the
villages where soil erosion was once rampant.
Many people now make field visits to Doi Tung to
study the use of vetiver grass.”
M.R. Disnadda Diskul, then Secretary-General