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The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

publich health to establish Raj Pracha Samasai Institute (translation: “the king and the people

rely on each other”) in order to conduct studies and research the disease. He brought Raj Pracha
Samasai Foundation under the royal patronage and built Raj Pracha Samasai schools, also under

the royal patronage, rendering the 3 core pillars as the way to handle leprosy. This approach
increased knowledge and understanding of leprosy considerably in medicine and public health

as well as solved the societal problem about the mingling between the children of the sick and
normal general students. The Raj Pracha Samasai schools under the royal patronage is a model

for schools throughout the country to cope with this problem. This royal project expanded to
the whole country and reduced the prevalence of the disease from 50 per 10,000 to less than

1 per 10,000 in 1994 and it curtailed the incidence of deformity to less than 1 per 1,000,000
in 2011 well before the 2020 target by the WHO. (Raj Pracha Samasai Foundation, 2016)

Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under the royal patronage

In 1962 Tropical cyclone Harriet caused extensive damage when it hit 12 provinces in
the southern part of Thailand, especially Laem Talumphuk at Pak Phanang District,

Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The fatalities reached nearly 1,000 lives. King Rama IX used
the Au Sau Dusit Palace radio station to broadcast the news and ask his people to donate

money and supplies to help those suffering from the disaster. The king even received in person,
donations from people from all walks of life, who visited the radio station daily for

a month. The total donation was more than 11 million Bahts and donated supplies valued
approximately 5 million Bahts. There were volunteers, comprising mostly students at all levels

and boyscouts. They helped distribute supplies to people in the affected areas daily.
Furthermore, the king donated money to the ministry of education to build 12 new schools in

6 provinces where the old ones were destroyed. The king named consecutively the 12 new schools
as Rajaprajanugroh school 1, 2, 3 to 12. (At present, there are such 58 schools throughout the

country.) The king established Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under the royal patronage in 1963
(meaning “the king and the people help each other.”) to handle the remaining donated

3 million Bahts. This fund was to help children who lost their parents from the disaster and
those suffering from other disasters throughout the country. King Rama X is now the Royal

Patron of the foundation. The king has improved the way to deal with natural disaster by
prioritizing the easing of suffering in a quick, simple, and systematic way. The privy councilor

or his majesty’s representatives will join with the foundation to bring in items from the king to
help people suffering from the disaster. So this foundation plays an important role in term of

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