During the early decade of 1970, there were many foreign organizations participated in the agricultural development in northern Thailand to eliminate opium poppy cultivated by hill tribesmen. The United Nations Programme for Drug Abuse Control set up an office in Chiang Mai to conduct a crop substitution program. Agricultural technicians from Australia, German and the U.S. joined the UNPDAC hopefully to bring new crops to eliminated the hill tribe 's opium poppy cultivation. The Royal Thai Government, there was only one agency worked in the highlands, Hill Tribe Welfare Division of the Department of Public Welfare joined the UNPDAC.

His Majesty the King Bhumibhol visited the hill tribe villages in Chiang Mai and he justified what he would do to help the hill tribesmen. The deciduous fruit crops, the peach was tried first for high incomes by grafting improved varieties to the local stocks. The research was assigned to the horticulturists from Kasetsart University. This was the initiation of the research work in northern highlands. Prince Bhisatej Rajani the Director of the Royal Project was assigned by the King to be the coordinator for the highland agricultural development in northern highlands.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture sent a team to join the crop substitution program in 1972 but it was difficult to find the RTG agency to work with. The team met with Prince Bhisatej and the research scientists of Kasetsart University, they negotiated to start the research works in the highlands in June 1973.

Dr. Wallace E. Manis, USDA/ARS stationed in Chiang Mai to justify the research proposals. The USDA/ARS worked closely with the Royal Project under the Highland Agricultural Research Coordinating Committee (HARCC) while Prince Bhisatej was the chairman of the consortium. Eighty-four projects were funded by USDA, six of them were extension projects. Total funding from 1973 to 1987 for $6,356,216.

The Agricultural Research Officer  included -

Dr. Wallace E. Manis (passed away 1978)
Dr.Donald W. Fishler, (passed away, October 13, 1999)
Prof.  Wheeler Calhoun,
Dr. Jack J. Bond.
Sanguan Chantalay, Assistant to ARO, 1973-1986


The research contractors and personnel joined the HARCC were representatives from Thai institutions:

The USDA/ARS office was closed in August 1986. The implementation of research results was transferred to other channels of the Thai government i.e. The Department of Agricultural Extensionand the Royal Projectcarried on.


The research projects during 1973-1987 included:
Deciduous fruits, shiitake mushrooms, legumes, Arabica coffee, essential oils, strawberries, nut, pyrethrum, oilseed crops, apiculture, multiple cropping, tea, ornamental plants, Lac cultivation, conservation farming, wild plants for dye production, wild silkworm, insecticidal plants, potato seed production, onion seed production, cruciferous vegetable seed, herb and spices, medicinal plants, economic ferns, ornamental conifers, carnation, weed control, fruit fly control, small fruit, chrysanthemum tea, diosgenin crops, citrus production, dried ornamentals, exotic fruits, off-season vegetable, vegetable breeding, plant protection, cut flower, upland rice, post harvest handling, seed legumes, medicinal tubers, meristem tech for potatoes, wheat, buckwheat, goat production, soil management, catimore coffee.

There were six extension projects conducting at Thung Luang,  Mae Pun Luang, Pang Oung, Mae Hae, Kae Noi and Upper Maela Noi.

  
Related Link:
 This web page was created in August 1996 by PNOC

Developed and maintained page by
Sanguan Chantalay , Assistant to ARO.
: April 26, 2001

Last updated: April 21, 2006


Sanguan 2005
Hard Work Never Kill Anyone.
To Remember to Prof. Dr. Vipata B. Wangsai
Who first claimed this phrase at Maejo Students Orientation in 1955.
Who served the King's Royal Project since 1970 through his life.
Who was the first graduated group of Maejo students in 1936 and served in the position of
the Presdident of Maejo University for two terms, 1973-1983.