HRH Princess Sirivannavari Revives Royal Aspirations in Sakon Nakhon

While there, the Princess presided over the opening ceremony of the Chalermprakiet Building ’36 – constructed in honour of her 36th birthday – at Don Koi Sustainable Village, and also visited Baan Pa Toom and Pa Tai Museum.

It was at the end of January that Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya graced the opening ceremony of the Chalermphrakiet Building ’36, constructed to commemorate her 36th birthday, at Don Koi Vijalaya – or Don Koi Sustainable Village, Village No. 2, Sawang Subdistrict in Phanna Nikhom District, Sakon Nakhon Province.

Suttipong Juljarern, Permanent Secretary for Interior, Chanon Vasiksiri, Deputy Governor of Sakon Nakhon Province, Major General Norathip Bhoyanok, Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, Police Colonel Therdthoon Sroisukphaphan, Deputy Sakon Nakhon Provincial Police Division, Unsit Sampuntharat, Director-General of the Community Development Department, Dr. Wandee Khunchornyakong Juljarern, President of the Ministry of Interior’s Ladies Association, Jinnarat Sampuntharat, President of Community Development Department’s Ladies Club, along with civil servants and locals in the area, attended the opening ceremony.

On this auspicious occasion, Princess Sirivannavari unveiled the sign covering of the building’s name, and then went on to demonstrate the indigo dyeing method at the Indigo Preparation Building, there after she proceeded to the Chalermphrakiet Building.

Princess Sirivannavari made a Facebook Live broadcast to promote products and woven fabrics from the Ban Don Koi Model royal project and its costumers. These include woven fabrics, and costumes made from woven fabrics. Her Royal Highness also made a presentation on fabric wisdom and the story of ‘Don Koi Model’, demonstrating in the process techniques on how to prepare natural fibres and weaving, and later attended a performance in Phanna Nikhom District.

Suttipong Juljarern, Permanent Secretary for Interior, said that on the occasion of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya’s Birthday Anniversary, on January 8, 2023, the Ministry of Interior had taken up an initiative to build the Chalermphrakiet Building ’36 in honour of the 36th birthday of Her Royal Highness.

He reiterated that Chalermphrakiet Building ’36 represents HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya’s kindness and mercy towards the Don Koi villagers, especially after she conferred the royal initiative project ‘Don Koi Model’ which led to many positive changes and created endless benefits for the locals.

The Community Development Department has been a driving force for the ‘Don Koi Model’ project since Princess Sirivannavari’s first visit to the Ban Don Koi indigo weaving group in Phanna Nikhom District, Sakon Nakhon Province, on November 15, 2020.

Princess Sirivannavari had the vision to develop woven fabrics of Ban Don Koi so that they become more modern and meet the needs of both the Thai and international markets, helping generate income for people in the community by becoming a Premium OTOP (One Tambon, One Product) that was internationally accepted.

This development includes the integration of knowledge between the Ban Don Koi weaving group members, various experts, and product designers and developers – along with gathering knowledge of the community, weaving wisdom for indigo dyeing, and using natural colours to develop a modern and international product, as well as promoting the development of the traditional patterns of the Ban Don Koi community.

There are now up to 10 natural colours that have been developed throughout this period. The product development so far has also included package designs which are created keeping in mind the identity of the Don Koi community, with the objective to create a new image for Thai fabrics so that they are suitable to be worn on all occasions – according to the ‘Wearing Thai Fabrics With Fun’ (Pha Thai Sai Hai Sanook) royal project which has been in development since 2020 up until the present.

As a result, indigo-dyed fabric products have evolved into Thai fabrics that are fun to wear, with new patterns and modern designs that are in line with latest fashion trends.

For the Indigo Dyed Fabric Learning Centre, Don Koi Vijalaya, or Don Koi Sustainable Village, the centre serves as a source of wisdom for local and provincial woven fabric of Sakon Nakhon province. It is a source of knowledge-transfer of weaving processes, and learning new innovations for those who are interested to use it for a sustainable career.

Ban Don Koi is also a role model for Sustainable Community Development, and it is the nation’s model community for community development with an emphasis on the environment – according to the code of principles of ‘Bio-Circular-Green Economy: BCG’ – and aims to raise awareness about the impact on weavers and dyers, as well as the potential impact on wearers if chemicals are used to dye fabrics.

The centre promotes methods for environmental protection and encourages people in the community to be self-reliant by integrating knowledge according to the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. This is accomplished in part by encouraging villagers in the community to grow vegetables, edible fences with leaves and stems, cotton and mulberry, and raise silkworms and plant trees with natural colours, in accordance with the royal initiative of a ‘Sustainable Village’.

The Ministry of Interior seeks to follow the royal initiative to create value for local fabrics, and also raise the level of Thai fabric products internationally, while at the same time creating a sustainable community with benefits for the nation in the future.

At a later point in her trip, Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari visited the Baan Pa Toom and Pa Tai Museum and participated in the indigo fabric exhibition and showroom for the centre’s products and designs for both woven indigo fabric and indigo silk at Ban Nong Khae, Village No. 5, Tong Khob sub-district, Khok Si Suphan district, Sakon Nakhon province.

On this occasion, Princess Sirivannavari addressed the history of the Baan Pa Toom-Pa Tai Museum and saw the display of numerous fabrics, including Mad Mee silk which has been made famous by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, and historic woven fabrics of various patterns, such as the ancient woven fabrics with patterns of Khruea Song Kor and Dang Hae, the Mang Moom Lek (small spider web) pattern, the Maak Jub Tum pattern, the Ai Kham pattern, the Khom Ha mixed with Krajab pattern, the Tom Vee pattern, the Mang Moom Yai (large spider web) pattern, the Nok Nang Ann pattern, and the Tum Pong Tum Tan pattern.

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari also browsed community products made from Thai fabrics and handicrafts – where the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) items of 22 communities were featured. In addition, Her Royal Highness keenly observed various Thai woven fabrics and handicrafts by the villagers, who sought her advice for their products.

At present, the Ministry of Interior has adopted the ‘Sustainable Village’ development initiative introduced by Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari at Ban Don Koi as a model for the year 2023. This will be used for the development of projects across 76 provinces, with one village one sub-district initiative, making it the total of 7,255 villages.

The overall objective is to strengthen communities so that they can take care of their families and villages. In return, the ultimate goal is to become a sustainable village, similar to Ban Don Koi, Phanna Nikhom District, Sakon Nakhon Province.

This initiative, on the occasion of HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya’s 36th birthday, aims to achieve both sustainability and a good quality of life for all Thais.

Featured image: Princess Sirivannavari attends a local performance titled ‘The Magical Charm of Phu Thai.’

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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