The Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation:

      The Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation was founded on 24th November 2009 by the Cabinet meeting, given the need to accelerate and expand rural development work across the country. The Royal Initiative Discovery Institute (RIDI) was also established to manage the knowledge and wisdom of royal initiative projects and to promote the use of them while integrating them into the country’s overarching development approach.

     The Foundation and the Institute share a common goal in seeking collaboration from all involved parties to create a set of multi-pronged approaches to sustainable socio-economic development by integrally implementing the King Guiding Principles, the Universal Knowledge and local wisdom to each region of the country in different degrees, and the problems will need to be tackled accordingly. They strive to foster participation by all stakeholders, namely policymakers, academics, community leaders, civil society organizations, and international development bodies to raise awareness and support in order to jointly tackle the country's fundamental problems.

     The Foundation not only promotes rural development; it also manages knowledge coming from different parties or sources as mentioned. In addition, the foundation disseminates information about royal initiatives, universal know-how local wisdom and success stories among all parties.

     The three-step implementation principle, The Development Thrusts, consists of Understanding, Outreaching and Development are the steps of rural and community development. These steps will create ownership in the community, which will lead to sustainable development.

      After identifying the concepts underlying the philosophy and working practice, the Foundation and the Institute interpret that knowledge into the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation Methodology, and began to pilot the prototype integrated-solution project in Nan province in 2009.

     The success of the Nan province project with the collaboration with the Permanent Secretaries of the Office of the Prime Minister and the other three Ministries -- the Interior, the Agriculture & Cooperatives, the Natural Resources & Environment -- as well as provincial and local administration agencies embraced the Foundation to gradually expand its operations and to undertake the new 7 prototype integrated-solution projects in 13 provinces in today.

     The 8 prototype integrated-solution projects are 1. Nan province, 2. Udon Thani Province, 3. Phetchaburi Province, 4. Khon Kaen Province 5. Kalasin Province, 6. Uthai Thani Province, 7. South region (Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat provinces) and 8.North region (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phayao provinces). Each project needs a thorough evaluation of whether it serves the real need of the people.

     The collaborative venture, called the Royal Initiative Area-based Rural Development Program, requires provincial and district staff to act as the focal points of each project with the active contribution of people in each community to participate in all levels from brainstorming to conducting all activities.

     The development program is categorized into 7 activities as follows: 1. Local people capacity development 2. Career development 3. Small-scaled water resource development 4. Marketing and sales enhancement 5. Career integration and funds 6. Community network building 7. Ecotourism Management. The Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation will be the supporting agency for each project and acts as the catalyst in liaising with all agencies to encourage them to work together for the benefit of the people.

     The tireless efforts of the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation have produced many tangible assets and benefits for the people. These achievements are categorized into 4 dimensions of the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation’s sustainable development as follows: