Pattaya, Thailand – On July 8th, 2026, at Healthland Resort & Spa in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, Privy Councillor Mr. Plakorn Suwannarat presided over the opening ceremony of a national workshop titled “Enhancing the Effectiveness of Royal-Initiated Projects for Community Development in Protected Forest Areas, Fiscal Year 2026.”
Chonburi Governor Mr. Naris Niramonwong delivered welcoming remarks. The event was also attended by Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchantha, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), Banglamung District Chief Mr. Anusak Phiriyamon, along with senior executives and field personnel from royal development projects across Thailand. A total of approximately 250 participants joined the gathering.
The workshop featured exhibitions showcasing integrated project outcomes, including the work of the Ban Pa Ka Highland Agriculture Development Station in Kamphaeng Phet Province and research along with processed sea morning glory products from the Kung Kraben Bay Mangrove Study and Development Center in Chanthaburi Province.
The primary objective of the workshop is to strengthen the capabilities of personnel in managing royal-initiated projects, ensuring greater effectiveness while aligning with national policies and local contexts. It isto improve systematic planning, key performance indicators, monitoring, and evaluation. Emphasis is placed on balancing community quality-of-life improvements with the sustainable conservation of natural resources.
Activities include lectures, panel discussions, practical training sessions, study visits, experience-sharing, and lessons learned from successful model areas. Participants are expected to apply the acquired knowledge to implement more systematic, results-oriented projects that deliver tangible benefits to communities living in protected forest zones.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, as the lead agency responsible for protected areas, has implemented numerous royal-initiated projects nationwide. These efforts promote the philosophy of “people living sustainably with forests,” enabling local communities to coexist harmoniously with nature. However, operations in conservation areas face complex challenges involving natural resources, social dynamics, economic factors, and legal constraints, particularly under Section 64 of the National Parks Act B.E. 2562 (2019) and Section 121 of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019), which address residency and resource utilization within protected zones.
The workshop serves as a key platform to address these challenges and further advance the sustainable development goals envisioned in His Royal Majesty the King’s initiatives.
