A river runs through it
The "Power of Human Energy" project takes it lessons to rural Phetchabun
The successful “Power for Human Energy: A Journey Inspired by the King” project returned to Phetchabun, the source of the Pa Sak river, recently to oversee the conservation work carried out so far by Institute of Sufficiency Economy.
The project, which aims to encourage the local people to take care of their precious water resources, has been particularly focused on the mountains, where thousands of trees have been cut to make way for monoculture.
“Many people will remember the tragedy in 2005 when massive landslides struck a remote region near Ban Wang Kon Huada village,” says Dr Wiwat Salyakamthorn, president of the Institute of Sufficiency Economy and the Agri-Nature Foundation.
“The principles of the sufficiency economic are easy to understand and to practise and, most importantly, beneficial to farmers, allowing them a wider choice of crops and thus bringing them more income."
The objectives of the project were achieved thanks to the cooperation of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, the Agri-Nature Foundation, Royal Thai Army, JSL Global Media, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang and Phetchabun province.
This year’s effort, which again concentrated on teaching His Majesty the King’s theories on water-resource conservation, was spread over nine days and a total distance of 313 kilometres from Sri Thep Historical Park in Sri Thep district to Ban Hin Ngon in Lom Kao district. More than 1,500 volunteers from several government and private organisations walked, run and cycled, stopping first at Ban Khwae Pa Sak School to build a supermarket and lunch facilities for children from three neighbouring districts. The volunteers also helped dig a new canal for water supply and a fish farm, built a mushroom house and chicken farm, and planted a backyard vegetable garden.
The project then moved on to Ban Ta Yaem where volunteers provided instruction in sustainable farming and explained how renewable energy can be obtained from “ton yang na” or Dipterocapaceae trees, as well as demonstrated how to build an earthen house.
The group stopped in Ban Koke Nong Naa, a model village in water management and learned how cow dung can revive life in the earth before embarking on organic farming.
At Ban Hin Ngon, a village close to the source of the Pa Sak river, the volunteers met with local agriculturists Inta Wangkhiri and Somchai Panyaprasit, who have copied the Ban Koke Nong Naa model for their area. The two then sat down with teachers and students from the Faculty of Architecture of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology, Lat Krabang and studied the problems with and solutions for water management.
“This project covered a greater distance and faced more difficulties,” said Chevron Thailand’s President Pairoj Kaweeyanun. “But we are very pleased with the response from the communities.
