The Royal Thai Navy in
Sattahip is creating a buffalo-preservation project to revisit the good
old days.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy’s Naval Recruit Center in
Sattahip will use 10 rai of land to create a buffalo-preservation
project intended to become a base for research and agricultural
knowledge.
Adm. Surasak Rungrengrom said the center will offer
four courses a year to 12,000 students on how to domesticate buffalos
and train them to work the land. To date, 29 heads of cattle have been
donated to the project, dedicated to HM the Queen to celebrate her
upcoming 80th birthday.
The buffalo will be split into four zones
encompassing rice paddies, vegetable farms, a fish-filled canal and
residential for people and cattle. Highlighting their role throughout
Thai history, buffalos will be employed in farming.
Surasak said the Navy is “determined to restore the
use of buffalos in agriculture to inspire Thais to return to the past,
when farmers would lead their buffalos into the fields until sundown.”
With progress in farming machinery and technology, it
remains to be seen if the military’s hankering for the old days will
spread beyond its own land.
Nonetheless, government funds have already been
allocated for the project with Navy officials insisting the rice and
vegetables grown will help area residents during times of drought or
flood.
