H.M. the Queen Mother’s Initiatives in Promoting Coexistence between Humans and Forests

Throughout the long reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (Rama IX), Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother always stood by His Majesty’s side, working actively and tirelessly to improve the lives of the people, and both complemented each other well. 

Her Majesty was the first Queen of Thailand to visit people in all parts of the country. In her travels with King Rama IX to various regional areas, Her Majesty noticed a great decrease in forested areas. The root cause of the problem involved forest and watershed destruction. Her Majesty was afraid that massive forest destruction would bring difficulties to her subjects in the future. Then she developed an idea to enable humans and forests to live together without destruction.

Aware of the importance of trees in absorbing rainwater, Her Majesty often initiated tree planting around water sources, so that forests and water would come together naturally. Wherever she went, she also persuaded local people to replant forests. In her well-known words, Her Majesty proclaimed, “Should His Majesty be water, I shall be the forest that is loyal to water. His Majesty builds reservoirs; I shall replant forests.”

On 20 December 1982, Her Majesty started a reforestation project at the foot of Phupha Lek Hill, next to Kham Chuang Reservoir, Song Dao District, Sakon Nakhon Province. The project “Pa Rak Nam,” literally meaning “Forests Love Water,” called for harmonious coexistence between humans and the forest. Villagers who depended on the forest for their livelihood were encouraged to take responsibility for forest protection.

Later, Her Majesty came up with the idea of introducing a Pa Rak Nam village under which “small houses in the big forest” were built for poor villagers. At the initial stage, Her Majesty selected poor families to live in this village, located in Sawang Daen Din District in Sakon Nakhon. She gave them a water tank, a cart, a rice barn, chickens, cows, fruit trees, and farm tools. Each family was paid 1,500 baht a month. Their produce could also be sold to the SUPPORT Foundation, established by the Queen Mother.

Her Majesty asked villagers in this village to protect the forest and plant hardwood trees, as well as nurturing seedlings. In this way, poor villagers could make a living more efficiently without forest destruction. Later, several poor families in the northeastern province of Udon Thani were chosen to live in the Pa Rak Nam village.

Thanks to the benefaction of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, forested areas in the country were increasing. To help ease the deforestation problem, Her Majesty expanded this unique forest and environmental project to many areas of the country.

Her Majesty often stressed, “Make the forest and the people coexist peacefully, with no destruction,” and “Let residents live their normal lives. We can promote their quality of life, helping them earn more income and enjoy better health.”