Opening ceremony "Khok Nong Na Arya Agriculture" with Ubon Ratchathani province designated as the "Metropolis of Khok Nong Na"
On 14 March 2026, at Wat Pa Maha Thirachan, Ban Wang Ao, Huadon Subdistrict, Khueang Nai District, Ubon Ratchathani province, Somdet Phra Maha Thirachan, Supreme Patriarch of the Northern Region and Chief of the Sangha, presided as the senior monk. Mr. Sutthipong Juljarern, as the lay leader and patron of the construction, led the ceremony to raise the rooftop finial of the ubosot (ordination hall) built over water at Wat Pa Maha Thirachan. The event was attended by Phra Piphat Wachirophat, abbot of Wat Pa Maha Thirachan, the monastic community, government officials, local administrators, village heads, disciples, and local people, including students, who participated in the welcome ceremony.
At 10:00 a.m., Mr. Sutthipong Juljarern, accompanied by Mr. Sornchai Krongyut, Ubon Ratchathani provincial governor, the deputy president of the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Administrative Organization, Ms. Kanokorn Phosing, provincial development officer, the provincial department of public works and town planning, the district chief of Khueang Nai, local leaders, village heads, citizens, partner networks, school administrators, and students traveled to inaugurate the model area development project to improve quality of life through Arya agriculture following royal initiatives. The event honored His Majesty the King on the occasion of the grand royal celebration of his 6th cycle birthday anniversary on 28 July 2024 at Ban Wang Ao, Huadon Subdistrict, Khueang Nai District, Ubon Ratchathani.
Mr. Sutthipong said, "Today, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in the activities to monitor progress and officially open the model area development project to improve quality of life through Arya agriculture following the royal initiative, honoring His Majesty the King on the auspicious occasion of his 6th cycle birthday anniversary on 28 July 2024. I am delighted to see that we have taken time to bring our children to join these activities."
The model area development project for improving quality of life through Arya agriculture following royal initiatives was initiated by the Community Development Department, Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with partner networks and Phra Piphat Wachirophat, also known as Chaokhun Sukhum, a monk who devoted himself to Buddhism and society. He has brought prosperity and brightness to the Dul Saeng Phet community. Chaokhun Sukhum is a compassionate monk who has worked for the Sangha, cared for children, built the Cultural Road—a path symbolizing kindness and compassion—and strengthened the stability of communities and citizens. He has assisted all regions of the country to achieve well-being and life stability.
His Majesty the King has the royal determination to continue, preserve, and develop the nation to ensure security and happiness for the people. He emphasized correcting past mistakes, noting that although our country was once stable and happy, the generations before us damaged the environment and good traditions by burning forests, harming nature, and disrupting traditional ways of life, leading to crises. I explain this to illustrate that the King wants us to correct these errors by not burning forests and not destroying nature. I would like to respectfully recall His Majesty’s royal speech on 29 January 2021 about Khok Nong Na Arya Agriculture.
"King Rama IX conceived the sufficiency economy in this era as agriculture, which is the country itself—the land (Sustainable Agronomy) is the civilized nation, the agricultural country, the civilized country. This can be achieved by applying various theories he has given. Civilization means advancement, and advancement begins with the mind. Our country’s greatest wealth is civilization, known as Cultural Heritage. Thailand has culture; Thai people are kind-hearted, compassionate, uphold Dharma and various religions, maintain customs and traditions, and preserve diverse arts. Our culture embodies what it means to be Thai, which other countries lack. This is why we have survived. But we are not old-fashioned; countries with culture do not just adopt foreign methods wholesale. Foreign techniques and technologies are good, but we must adapt them suitably for our own country."
The significance of this royal speech is that Khok Nong Na is praised as a symbol of fertility—beautiful land abundant with produce for the people’s sustenance. It serves as a practical model, such as the Khok Nong Na prototype at Wat Somdet Phra Maha Thirachan, which features five layers of vegetation: tall trees, medium trees, low trees, ground cover, and underground plants. I mention this model to encourage school principals to take children there for experiential learning outside the classroom, such as making fermented water and soil nutrients, inspiring them to continue developing Khok Nong Na Arya Agriculture.
Mr. Sutthipong added that the model area development project to improve quality of life through Arya agriculture following royal initiatives, honoring His Majesty the King on the auspicious occasion of the 28 July 2024 grand royal birthday celebration, has been assigned by the Ministry of Interior to the Department of Public Works and Town Planning as the lead agency. They integrate and design the development of the model area to improve quality of life following the royal initiative, relying on cooperation from seven partner sectors: 1. Government, 2. Academic, 3. Religious, 4. Public, 5. Private, 6. Civil society, and 7. Media. This collaboration drives joint discussions, planning, actions, and shared outcomes.
I recall the project kickoff on 9 April 2024, when former provincial governor Mr. Supasit Korcharoenyot led the event; he is now a member of parliament for Roi Et. Ubon Ratchathani Development was the first to join, with Public Works supporting. Chaokhun Sukhum Phra Piphat Wachirophat has also helped oversee, resolve issues, and propel the project according to the Baworn principle (Buddhism, government, and society). The success we witness today is evident in the serene, natural environment with cicadas singing and pesticide-free vegetables growing in this model area. It fits the Cultural Road concept, providing abundant food and embodying Arya agriculture. Importantly, we have been working together since 2024.
Now, in 2026, the work continues sustainably. But we must not stop here; we should encourage households to do the same—grow vegetables for their own consumption and expand the practice. This approach fosters love among people and aligns with the royal initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to create sustainable food security, reduce expenses, and promote community unity by encouraging kitchen gardens and fruit trees in every household. This royal initiative resonates with the concept of Arya agriculture: fertile land and transforming the land around homes into Arya agriculture. Together, we can achieve this.
Finally, I urge school principals to have students plant at least one perennial tree each—a tree of life. I ask the provincial governor to instruct the provincial administration to organize programs for children to plant trees during the upcoming rainy season. I also seek cooperation from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to provide seedlings and from the Provincial Administrative Organization to assist with transportation and organizing such activities. This will create community supermarkets as envisioned by Chaokhun Sukhum, with forests producing foods like mushrooms, wild bamboo shoots, beehives, and wild sweet vegetables. Thus, the land of Ubon Ratchathani will be fertile and flourish fittingly as the metropolis of Khok Nong Na.