On 17 May 2023, Lt. Sorawud Preededilok, Minister attached to Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), joined the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) delegation attending the 79th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on a field visit to the Royal Sea Farming and Aquaculture Demonstration Project Under the Initiatives of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, and the Blue Crab Bank at Hadchao-Laem Phak Bia Community, Phetchaburi Province.
At the Royal Sea Farming and Aquaculture Demonstration Project, the PIF delegation, led by Ms. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Samoa, was welcomed by Mr. Prapat Kosawatpat, Director of Phetchaburi Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Center. He also provided background information on this Royal project, including five demonstration units: (1) outdoor aquatic animal husbandry; (2) sea salt farming; (3) sea grape cultivation; (4) marine animal and fish hatchery; and (5) souvenir outlets selling products produced on the farm.
In addition, the delegation also visited the Blue Crab Bank at Hadchao-Laem Phak Bia Community, a blue crab conservation initiative, managed by the coastal fishing community, which is aimed at increasing the blue crab population in coastal waters to help boost food security. The delegates also released egg-bearing female crabs into the sea to spawn. From the first crab stage, they will grow and reach maturity in four months.
The Royal Sea Farming and Aquaculture Demonstration Project under the Initiatives of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and the Blue Crab Bank at Hadchao-Laem Phak Bia Community provide good examples of sustainable development projects that apply the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which calls for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. The implementation of the projects integrates SEP practices, cutting-edge technology, and innovative marine scientific research to conserve coastal resources, increase the income of local fishermen and uplift their standards of living.