When the extension work in the surrounding villages produces satisfactory results to a certain level, these villages will become the model which the farmers in other villages come to observe. In this way, the extension work of the Centre will expand to a wider range of the population.
"…the Centres are demonstrations of integrated development work which means everything and every aspect to earn a living. The people will be able to observe the models of modern knowledge and technology which can be effectively applied to their occupation…"
"…the Centres are demonstrations of integrated development work which means everything and every aspect to earn a living. The people will be able to observe the models of modern knowledge and technology which can be effectively applied to their occupation…"
"…various agencies concerned with every aspect of the people's life can exchange idea, work together and coordinate to have the work done. Normally, each agency has its own independent centre with no other agencies involved. However, the Royal Development Study Centres gather in one place officials and experts from every department and division in various fields; agricultural, social and related educational promotion. This means the people can obtain different fields of knowledge at the same time. It is like two poles. One is the officials who work together in one place. The other is the general public who acquire benefits…"
According to His Majesty's speech above, granted on September 11, 1983, the guidelines and objectives of the Royal Development Study Centres can be summarized as follows:
1. To conduct study, research and experiment in search of guidelines and development methods appropriate to the different conditions of each area or region. The Centres can be compared to “the model of success” for the people not only in the surrounding areas, but in other areas as well.
2. To serve as a centre for exchange of experiences among academics, development workers and the people. The successful results of the study, research and experimentation conducted in the Centres should be effectively applied in real life. The Centres should integrate theory with practice and should be the source of knowledge for the people. They also serve as venues for the exchange of experiences and guidelines to solving problems among three groups: academics, development workers and the general public.
3. To serve as a centre of integrated development patterns. Each centre is a good example of a multidisciplinary concept which produces maximum benefits for a specific area. It represents the model which demonstrates how an area can be most effectively developed. The development patterns focus on using not exclusively one field of development activity but rather on integration of a variety of development activities which complement one another. Moreover, this integration includes not only the knowledge but also the systematic operation and demonstration.
4. To build and reinforce close coordination in project planning, implementation and management among different government agencies within an intersectoral framework. It is important because the Thai bureaucracy is facing the problem of lack of fruitful coordination which causes inefficiency in work. The operation guidelines of the Royal Development Projects focus on coordination of work and plan as well as management between different agencies to render the works effective.5. To function as a centre that provides a complete or one-stop service that shows research, experimentation and demonstration of the operational success in every field: agriculture, livestock, fishery as well as social development and handicrafts in the form of a living natural museum. People can come to see everything in one place and therefore obtain knowledge with convenience, rapidity and assurance that it will be efficiently applied to attain the maximum benefits possible.
The results of the study are not only displayed in the demonstration plots of each Centre but also disseminated among the targeted group of people. The first target consists of the people living in the surrounding villages, formerly called the satellite villages. There are about 10 – 25 villages around each Centre. The methods of dissemination vary according to the social and cultural characteristics of the areas. Some farmers come to the Centre to attend training courses such as on cultivation and propagation of crops, animal husbandry and fishery. Sometimes the officials from the Centre go out to suggest techniques to the farmers. In other cases, the farmers arrange a study tour of the Centre both individually and collectively.
There are altogether six Royal Development Study Centres situated in every region of the country with each representing the characteristics of the local areas. However, since there may be minor details in each region which deserve study, the Centre branches are established to conduct study on specific aspects of the conditions of the local areas, the results of which will be disseminated to the farmers for application on their own land.