On 28 February 2018, Her Excellency Mrs. Busaya Mathelin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand presided over as a co-chair at the 4th Round of Thailand – Sri Lanka Bilateral Political Consultations in Colombo of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The co-chair of the Sri Lankan side was His Excellency Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka. Both sides discussed multi-sectoral collaboration between the two countries, including the on-going implementation of Sustainable Community Development Model Based on the Application of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) in Sri Lanka. The high-level officials of the two countries impressed with the tangible progress made at the 3 model villages including (1) Delthota Village in Kandy, (2) Laksha Uyana Village in Polonnaruwa and (3) Wathupola Village in Puttalam. The development project is currently being implemented by Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Community Development Department (CDD) of Ministry of Interior of Thailand. At the Political Consultations, Mr. Banchong Amornchewin, Director of Thai Cooperation Branch II of TICA, Mr. Pallop Tanjariyaporn, Chief of International Relations Unit, Planning Division of CDD and relevant TICA officials were also present at the meeting.
Later after the meeting, the Thai delegation led by the Permanent Secretary paid a visit to see the progress of the Sustainable Community Development Model Based on the Application of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) at Laksha Uyana Village in Polonnaruwa on 2 March 2018. The Permanent Secretary was impressed with how the Sri Lankan officials and villagers who participated in the SEP S-M-A-R-T Mobilizing Team training programme in Thailand have applied SEP into practice for their community development and how the project empowers women in the community. The development project aims at improving the well-being of villagers by strengthening the community through local product development and establishment of community learning centre. During the visit to sample households in the village, the Permanent Secretary was briefed by the Sri Lankan officials together with the Director of Thai Cooperation Branch II of TICA, the Thai expert from CDD and TICA officials. The sample households include (1) ornamental fish culture wherein the training course on SEP in Thailand helps create a thinking process towards sustainable development based on their potentials; (2) banana production and post-harvest in the form of banana chips with sesame and ground nut; (3) bag sewing and patterns; (4) home-gardening and (5) integrated farming with various kinds of vegetable and fruit such as coconut, papaya, guava.
During the visit, TICA representatives and expert from CDD had a discussion with Sri Lankan officials and villagers from the 3 model villages to follow-up with progress that each village made, especially the formulation of community plans by analyzing geo-societal aspects of each local context. TICA also gave x-stands with details of
the development project and flip charts for the 3 model villages for facilitating workshops to promote participatory process among villagers. It is with Thailand’s aim to accomplish the project’s goal for improving the well-being of villagers through community strengthening.