Page 135 - -25-0508(ALLs)

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand

Volume XVI-2024 (Special Issue)

- Support to the sick under the royal patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit

- District physicians project to provide knowledge in health care to people in the rural areas
so they know how to handle health problems properly for oneself, family members, and society,

as well as how to contact government services when the problem exceeds their capabilities.
All the aforementioned royal initiative projects in medicine and public health by

King Rama IX have been in operation well before the concept of primary health care provided
by the World Health Organization (WHO). These royal initiative projects certainly inspire the

government and those concerned about the people’s health to take serious action in term of
agreement and collaboration. (Thepakam, 1988)

The Chaipattana Foundation

In 1988, King Rama IX established the Chaipattana Foundation and his majesty became
the honorable president while he appointed Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to be the executive

chairperson. The foundation provides timely and necessary responses to problems affecting
Thai people through various development projects when it is not possible for government

agencies to proceed due to regulatory requirements and budget constraints. An example is
when the foundation effectively provided help to ease people sufferings during the COVID-19

pandemics. (The Chaipattana foundation, 2024)
Furthermore, the Princess Mother and her daughter, Princess Galyani Vadhana, made great

contributions to medical services and publich health throughout their lives as the former initiated
3 important projects (see below) and the latter was the president of the Kidney Foundation of

Thailand since its establishment.

The Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation

Similar to the Royal initiative projects in medicine and public health by King Rama IX,

the Princess Mother established a team of volunteers including doctors, dentists, pharmacists,
nurses, and publich health personnel in 1969 to serve people who suffered from illnesses during

her regular visits in the remote areas. This Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer team has its name
abbreviated as “Por Aor Sor Vor” in Thai. After operating this team for 5 years, the Princess Mother

donated 1 million Bahts to establish the Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation on
21 May 1974 and she was the honorable president then. After the Princess Mother passed on

18 July 1995, Princess Galyani Vadhana carried on the activities of the foundation as the honorable
president until her passing on 2 January 2008. At present, Princess Chulabhorn is the honorable

president. (The Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation, 2009)

128

7/7/2568 BE 15:17
-25-0508(001)P5.indd 128 7/7/2568 BE 15:17
-25-0508(001)P5.indd 128