King Bhumibol Adulyadej or King Rama IX, the current King of Thailand
introduced this paradigm of sufficient economy to Thai people on December 4,
1997 (Mongsawad 2010 : 127). He emphasized the middle way of thinking, living,
consuming, and eating as a way to counter the globalization stream. This is in
congruence with Buddhist teaching–the tisikkha: wisdom (panna), ethics (sila), and
concentration (samadhi). True wisdom orpannais seeing through the reality of bias
or prejudice. Ethics orsilais related to social justice and moral governance.
Concentration orsamadhiis about taking critical awareness of self to create peace,
justice, and ecological balance (Sulak 2009 :45–46, 57–58, 94).
In a nutshell, it is about the middle path application of knowledge using
knowledge, wisdom, and prudence; application of moral principles such as honesty,
hard-working, sharing, and tolerance; and harmony, security, sustainability in
people’s lives, economic and social conditions, and the environment. All of this is
within the context of globalization (Mongsawad 2010 : 129). Realizing that glob-
alization has its impacts, e.g., material, social, and environmental impacts, this
sufficient economy scheme emphasizes self-reliance; appropriate technology; con-
servation of the natural environment; compassionate communities, i.e., helping one
another in the agricultural production the traditional Thai way; production for own
consumption then sell or barter the surplus; co-op building; capacity building and
networking of the grassroots; and a new way of agriculture (Agri-nature foundation
2016 ).
To implement the sufficient economy paradigm, H.M. the King encourages Thai
agriculturists to“grow what we eat and eat what we grow”; reduce the expenses as
much as possible; and try to be self-reliant as much as one can. As summarized
from the Website, Agri-nature foundation ( 2016 ), three steps of implementation are
to be followed:
- Produce agricultural products in a sufficient amount;
- Join a group to produce, to market, to build up a strong community, and to
engage in development; - Network with the public, the private sector, and the civic development sector.
Networking within the sufficient economy scheme consists offive major net-
works: Agri-nature foundation; organic farming of Thailand or Asoke network;
BioThai foundation; the association of local wisdom representing the locals of the
North-East; and the association of balanced agriculture-Taksom farm (Agri-nature
foundation 2016 ). All of these networks have about 120 training centers around
Thailand. The Website of Agri-nature foundation ( 2016 ) explains the nine-step
training as follows:
- Por Kin (having enough to eat—without using money). Thai agriculturists are
encouraged to grow rice up to the amount that the entire family consumes
yearly; grow fruit trees and vegetables so that they do not have to rely on the
market economy. That implies also healthy eating. Thus, organic farming is
recommended.
94 6 Self-Reliance and Sustainability from a Thai Perspective