A Land of Cheerfulness and Development in the Deep South of Thailand

[Lite Beer]

A Land of Cheerfulness and Development in the Deep South of Thailand

BANGKOK, 12 August 2013 (NNT) – Locally referred to as the “widows' village,” the Rotan Batu Sufficiency Economy Village in Narathiwat Province has become a major model farm for quality food production and a learning center for farming and applying the Sufficiency Economy philosophy to life and work. This village gives hope to victims of violence in the deep South of Thailand.

It has been nine years now since Rotan Batu was established at the initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, who, during her visit to Narathiwat, had learned about the hardships of local people affected by unrest in the three southern border provinces, namely Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat. She wanted to provide assistance for the families of affected officials and villagers, so that they would be able to stand on their own feet. Her Majesty’s merit has turned the land where hope had dried up into a land of cheerfulness and development.

The royally sponsored project was launched in September 2004, eight months after a group of armed perpetrators initiated acts of violence in Narathiwat province. Many local women since then have lost their husbands in the unrest and found it difficult to earn a living for themselves and their dependents. Concerned for the victims of violence and for families that have lost their main wage earners to the southern conflict, Her Majesty the Queen donated 20 million baht from her personal fund to buy a vacant plot of land to carry out the project, which is divided into two parts: the Sufficiency Economy village and the model farm.

Rotan Batu is located in Kaluwo subdistrict, Mueang district. On 15 October 2004, during her stay at Daksin Palace in Narathiwat, Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially opened the Rotan Batu Sufficiency Economy Village. In her speech to well-wishers on the eve of her birthday on 11 August 2005, Her Majesty explained that she took the money she was given for charity purposes on the occasion of her 72nd birthday to buy 707 rai, or about 282 acres, of land in Narathiwat to establish the village. She asked the local military unit and other government agencies to help build 150 houses for both Buddhist and Muslim Thais, who had lost the head of their family, to live in and make a living.

The village is open to all families that were victims of violence, regardless of race and religion. Each household will be given two rai, or almost one acre, of land to plant crops and raise livestock and fish for their own food and for sale to earn an income. The widows' village has been developed based on the concept of Sufficiency Economy, which was advocated by His Majesty the King to enable people to have enough to survive and to lead a reasonably comfortable life without extravagance or destruction of the environment. Agriculture officials have also given advice to local residents in this village on proper cultivation and husbandry.

The model farm has also created a source of employment and income generation, as produce will be sold to nearby towns. It is connected to the Bang Nara River and is divided into sections for four activities, namely aquaculture, livestock development, rice farming, and vegetable growing.

Today, a number of grieving women and children live happily and in safety at Rotan Batu, where Her Majesty has given assistance for them to have enough to live on. Many of them said that they used to feel hopeless, but their lives have been transformed because of the benevolence of Her Majesty the Queen. By living together and helping one another, they have lessened the feeling of dissatisfaction and developed the feeling of unity and solidarity, as a way to defeat violence and bring about lasting peace.

-- NNT 2013-08-13

[Mampara]

This is a good thing, to offer peace, happiness, and hope to all that have suffered because of violence, and deserves full support from the public as well as the private sector.

[Thaddeus]

By living together and helping one another, they have lessened the feeling of dissatisfaction and developed the feeling of unity and solidarity, as a way to defeat violence and bring about lasting peace.

I wish that could be spread far and wide.