His Majesty the King presented honorary plaques for the "Outstanding Farmers, Agricultural Institutions, National Cooperatives, and Agricultural Sages of the Land for the Year 2026."
On 13 May 2026 at approximately 08:30, His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen traveled by royal motorcade from Amphorn Sathan Throne Hall, Dusit Palace, to the pavilion where they presided over the Royal Ploughing Ceremony for the year 2026, held at the Thong Sanam Luang ceremonial ground.
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony combines two rites: the Buddhist ceremony conducted on 12 May 2026 at the Ubosot of Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram in the Grand Palace, where His Majesty prayed for the fertility of crops across Thailand, and the Brahmin ritual of the royal ploughing and sowing ceremony held on Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at the Thong Sanam Luang ceremonial ground.
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony is conducted to bring auspiciousness and boost the morale of farmers, instilling confidence for the upcoming planting season. Traditionally held around the sixth lunar month or in May at an auspicious time, it marks the appropriate period to begin rice cultivation, the primary occupation of the Thai people.
This year’s royal ploughing ceremony scheduled the sowing between 08:09 and 08:39. Mr. Winarot Sapsongsuk, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, served as Phra Ya Raek Na. The two golden shoulder-carrying goddesses were Miss Chantisa Areesewat, senior veterinary officer from the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, and Miss Apichaya Fu Saeng, an auditing academic officer from the Cooperative Auditing Department.
The two silver shoulder-carrying goddesses were Miss Pornjira Jancharoen, agricultural promotion officer from the Department of Agricultural Extension, and Miss Saranya Thongkham, agricultural promotion officer from the same department. Four attendants carried the ceremonial insignia, accompanied by sixteen escort attendants in the procession of Phra Ya Raek Na. The royal oxen involved were Phra Kho Por and Phra Kho Piang.
Regarding the forecast of the country’s crop fertility, Mr. Aphai Sutthisang, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, reported the divination results. The cloth divination by Phra Ya Raek Na produced a six-span cloth, predicting low water levels and good yields in lowland fields but some damage and less than full yield in upland fields. The seven offerings to the oxen—beans, water, grass, and liquor—were interpreted as follows: beans indicated agricultural abundance; water and grass suggested adequate water supply and good yields of grains, food, and livestock feed; and liquor foretold improved transportation and foreign trade, leading to economic prosperity.
On this occasion, 39 outstanding individuals and groups in agriculture, including farmers, agricultural institutions, national cooperatives, and agricultural sages of the land for the year 2026, received honorary plaques from His Majesty the King as follows.
Sixteen individuals were recognized as National Outstanding Farmers and Agricultural Persons for 2026:
1) Rice farming profession: Mr. Jirakorn Jiowjaroengkan, Nakhon Pathom Province.
2) Orchard farming profession: Mr. Komkrit Klomsang, Trat Province.
3) Field farming profession: Mrs. Nureen Piakot, Chaiyaphum Province.
4) Mixed farming profession: Mr. Prasert Yuwakankul, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.
5) Mulberry cultivation and silkworm raising profession: Mrs. Somporn Kaewkhontong, Ratchaburi Province.
6) Livestock raising profession: Mr. Surasak Saelee, Ratchaburi Province.
7) Freshwater aquaculture profession: Mr. Amorn Luangnarumitchai, Phetchaburi Province.
8) Brackish water aquaculture profession: Mr. Prayot Sorajjakij, Chachoengsao Province.
9) Ornamental aquatic animals and aquatic plants profession: Miss Patranit Sirawattanarut, Kanchanaburi Province.
10) Forest plantation profession: Mr. Boontham Thaptemsri, Nakhon Sawan Province.
11) Farm accounting branch: Mr. Suriya Khankaew, Phrae Province.
12) Land development for agriculture branch: Mrs. Kasorn Thongkham, Phatthalung Province.
13) Good agricultural practices for plants branch: Miss Rattana Chandam, Chiang Mai Province.
14) Organic agriculture branch: Miss Ancharee Asawawimon, Nonthaburi Province.
15) Youth agricultural group advisor: Mr. Montri Watnoi, Nakhon Pathom Province.
16) Youth agricultural group member: Mr. Petchrat Muangsai, Nakhon Sawan Province.
Thirteen groups received recognition as Outstanding National Agricultural Institutions for 2026:
1) Rice farming group: Don Yai rice farming group, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
2) Orchard farming group: Wood ring orchard farming group, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
3) Field farming group: Nong Phorong field farming group, Prachinburi Province.
4) Livestock farming group: Ban Siao beef cattle raising group, Nakhon Phanom Province.
5) Fisheries or aquatic animal farming group: Tha Som oyster community enterprise, Trat Province.
6) Aquatic animal processing group: Ban Som Sa-at aquaculture processing group, Bueng Kan Province.
7) Agricultural housewives group: Ban Mo Luang agricultural housewives group, Lampang Province.
8) Youth agricultural group: Out-of-school youth agricultural group, Child and Youth Training Center Region 5, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
9) Rice seed producer group: Nong Hin rice seed producer group, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
10) Irrigation water user institution: Kuraburi water management group, Phang Nga Province.
11) Community rice promotion and production center for jasmine rice: Na Plang Yai Na Yia Community Rice Center, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
12) Community rice promotion and production center for other rice types: Nong Kung rice seed producer group community rice center, Bueng Kan Province.
13) Community enterprise: Rubber cup block community enterprise group, Rubber Authority of Thailand, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
Seven cooperatives were recognized as Outstanding National Cooperatives for 2026:
1) Agricultural cooperative: Muang Tron Agricultural Cooperative Limited, Uttaradit Province.
2) Dairy cooperative: Sikhiu Dairy Cooperative Limited, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
3) Rubber producers cooperative: Yung Thong Rubber Fund Cooperative Limited, Songkhla Province.
4) Savings cooperative: Kalasin Hospital Savings Cooperative Limited, Kalasin Province.
5) Retail cooperative: Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital Cooperative Store Limited, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
6) Service cooperative: Phrae Teachers’ Service Cooperative Limited, Phrae Province.
7) Credit union cooperative: NHK Spring Credit Union Cooperative Limited, Samut Prakan Province.
Three individuals were honored as Agricultural Sages of the Land for 2026 across three branches:
1) Sufficiency economy agricultural sage branch: Mrs. Ratree Buapanas, Nakhon Sawan Province.
2) Outstanding agricultural sage branch: Mr. Phrom Sonsiri, Prachinburi Province.
3) Community and network agricultural leader sage branch: Mr. Boonsong Nabthong, Krabi Province.