- Por Chai (having enough to consume).
- Por Yoo (having enough to live).
- Por Rom Yen (having enough to feel cool).
Steps 2–4 can happen together by growing forests. Growing forests will yield
foods, clothing, and herbal medicine for people in a tropical country like
Thailand. Besides, the forests yield wood to build homes and provide shade and
shelter to the community. This will solve the problem of growing monocrops for
money, which causes top soil erosion and drought as a result of no rains as a
large number of trees were cut down to grow monocrops. - Bun. This is merit points one makes. By not possessing own assets but donating
to temples and let the temples be centers of sharing. - Dana. This means learning to get rid of avarice and greed by starting giving and
sharing within the community. Friendship and helping hands will be gained
instead of monetary gains. In time of crisis, one needs this kind of relationship. - Keep. This means that farmers should store rice for their own year-round
consumption, select, and keep‘quality seeds’for the next year. Also they are
advised to keep preserved foods for the future. - Sell. Selling the surplus is what this guideline advises. Selling in this case is
done with the feeling of“giving,”meaning selling good quality products to the
buyers. - Network to this revolution of the way people think and behave to solve the
environmental crisis, epidemic crisis, economic crisis, and political/social crisis.
The praxis of this paradigm has been implemented since 1988 on the land that
H.M. the King requested that the Chaipattana Foundation purchased to be used
as a demonstrationfield for integrated farming. The land of 32 rais (one rai is
about 1600 m^2 ) was divided into two parts. Thefirst part was to research on
vegetables, herbs, fruit trees on the hilly areas, fragrantflower orchard, afish
pond, and a test of growing vetiver grass to prevent soil erosion. The second part
was divided into the ratio of 30– 30 – 30 – 10. Thefirst 30% of the area was
reserved for a pond to keep 18,000 m^3 water in the dry season. In the pond, the
farmer can breed fresh waterfish, such as Nile tilapias and silver barbs. The
second 30% was stemmed for a paddyfield which can be converted into afield
of corn, bitter melons, and mung beans after the rice has been harvested. The
third 30% of land will be used to grow fruit trees, such as mangos, guavas, and
jackfruits; herbs such as kaffir lime and chili peppers;field crops such as sugar
cane and bananas; and perennials such as acacias. The last 10% of land is to
build a home, a stable for animals, driveways/walkways, and organic vegetable
patches.
The sufficient economy scheme has been applied by a number of Thais, and it
works. The case study I am going to report is my own experience at Punpun organic
farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I attended a self-reliant course from April 29
to May 2, 2016 and a vegetarian cooking course from May 6 to 8, 2016.
6.4 King Bhumibol’s Economic Sufficiency 95