DoiTung and Macademia Nuts

After Having passed Bangkok on the way to Pattaya we stopped at a gas station. Confirming that we all could do with a snack we entered an organic food shop. The shop was called DoiTung and some products had DoiTung as brand name - "What does it mean. DoiTung?", I asked.

Doi Tung is a mountain in the area of Chiang Mai, I was informed, where the idea was born to offer organic agriculture for replacement of the growth of opium poppy to the farmers.  Goal was to create the opportunity to overcome drug trafficking and the destructive effect the farming of the poppy had on the forest in this area. The beautiful mountain forest was felled and burned down to create space for the poppy fields which caused erosion and this again triggered dangerous land slides during the tropical rainfall.

To eliminate this problem at its root was a very practical and a logical solution of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Mother, mother of the reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The fact that farmers did not cultivate opium poppy for fun, but because it was the only source of income they had, was the decisive factor to set-up a none-profit organization that carried a high chance that it could erase the negative domino effect that the poppy fields had in Northern Thailand to the landscape and its people.

We got two bags of Macadamia nuts, one with barbecue taste the other bag with wasabi. The nuts were quickly gone. Shared between 3 people, who all agreed that these were the best Macadamia nuts, they ever had. Fresh, crispy, carefully flavored without destroying the Macademia nut taste itself. A very nice packaging, simple but visual good design of a bag that keeps the nuts fresh.

I wanted to know more about the Doi Tung Development Project, as it seemed interesting to me that people used their influence and important position in a very creative and constructive way, which should in fact happen by far more often in our world.

The foundation Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage started in 1988 and was taken over by King Bhumibol after his mothers, The Royal Princess', death.

Up to 1988 the Golden Triangle area was totally isolated from the central government due to it's remote location, and second because of its inaccessibility - there were no roads connecting the North to the rest of Thailand. Her Royal Highness, the Princess Mother was flown in by helicopter, because there was no other way to get her there.

The Royal Princess actually built a residence in the Doi Tung area, which signaled a new beginning for this full of negative environmental impacts and rural poverty area and I guess it created a base of mutual trust between her and the population. Reforestation and protection of the watersheds in this zone was her goal and this could only by established by creating a health and educational system and by offering an alternative for the opium poppy that would generate income. The planting of Arabica coffee, Macademia nut trees, Chinese chestnuts trees, Orchids and cut flowers offered itself as a feasible solution.

Well did it work?

45% of the forest was left in 1987 this amount is raised to over 80% at present. We can state without exaggeration that this is definitely a successful project. Pine trees at higher elevations above 700 meters and Teak was planted to achieve these impressing results.

Fact is by creating economical opportunities for the underprivileged and specifically the women of this region that often got forced into prostitution, has improved their livelihood immensely.

Building roads and a good transport infrastructure played a big role in getting this project on the right track.

The development of Doi Tung as a tourist destination is a major component of activities to create additional job opportunities.

Self-sufficiency is the goal of the project for the 11,000 people in this area and to raise the yearly income which was in 1988 only 3,000 Baht per family to 30,000 Baht by the end of 2003 succeeded.

Today, less than 1% of the total production of opium in the Golden Triangle comes from Thailand.

I was impressed and truly think that it is amazing that these kind of projects are initiated from the Royal Family in Thailand who actually participate personally to resolve problems that emerge from a way of thinking, attitude and perception and introduce new ways and insights to get old problems out of the way and at the same time serve as role models. They do not shy away from everyday problems, down to how to deal with the stray dogs problem, one just meets on every corner in Thailand.

His Royal Highness, King Bhumibol adopted one stray dog and the dog was present at the New Years celebration of 2008, taking his seat proudly and well mannered, right next to the King, as the Royal Family left the celebration in a chariot on the sky train.

This could indeed bring forth a change of mind and attitude of the Thai population and they eventually could start to care and take responsibility for the stray dogs, instead of ignoring them. The dogs won't go away by simply looking the other way and it also breaks ones heart to see how sick and neglected they are. People that battle this problem for years do not get the support from their fellow citizens, that the King set a signal in his very own and appreciated way, will certainly help a big hand!

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of her birth in the year 2000, the Princess Mother was named one of the UNESCO-designated “World’s Great Personalities”.

...wouldn't it be great if more men and women in responsible positions would follow her example ?