HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Information Technology
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn is known for her lifelong passion for learning and ability to effectively bring knowledge into practices. She usually provides valuable guidance in the domain of human resource development which includes also provision of knowledge and technologies particularly information technology to the people. HRH proficiently uses computers and communication technology to assist in her work. She has an appreciation for IT as an effective instrument of research and development, education enhancement, and so on, if applied appropriately.
On May 16, 2003, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously granted a permission to the members of the Executive Committee of the IT Project under her initiatives, Prof. Dr. Pairash Thachayapong, Dr. Thaweesak Koannantakool, and Ms. Vilawan Wanadurongkawan, for an interview regarding her work in IT. The content of the interview is expressed below.
HRH disclosed to the interviewers that her interest in IT started when a computer was presented to her for the first time. Coincidentally, at that time she was working on many projects that involved large amount of data making computers very applicable. Furthermore, with the opportunity to accompany His Majesty the King in his visits to many areas throughout Thailand on numerous occasions, HRH came to grow an interest in cartography. Consequently, with her involvement in cartography, she began to use IT devices, starting from scientific calculators to computers, for cartographic data analysis. Her study in cartography later became more advanced and embodied satellite photogrammetry as well.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn further stated that at that time, there were two conflicting thoughts with regards to the usefulness of satellite photogrammetry. One group believed that it was useful, while the other did not. Therefore, out of the need to know all the facts about it, HRH decided to enroll in a course on satellite photogrammetry at the Asia Institution of Technology (AIT) in 1984. AIT used IBM 3083, an early generation mainframe, to support this course which largely involved image processing and translation.
HRH recalled that her first computer was an ‘Osbourne One’, presented to her by a Thai individual who was working in the United States. This computer, like most computers at that time, did not have Thai programs or Thai font. HRH began to learn to use the computer to store household information about all of the royal employees who lived in the Grand Palace premises. However, HRH expressed her view that the work was rather not a success because it was troublesome to write and read Thai names with English spelling. HRH also recalled that she was the first one in the family to use computers. Later on, computers she used included Macintosh, NEC, and Compaq as well.
HRH admitted that, at first, she did not like to do data entry or typing on computers because she was not very good at typing. However, she was later inspired by her aunt, HRH Princess Galayani Wattana. HRH Princess Galayani Wattana told Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn that, even at her age, she still typed her speeches by herself and that one should not always depend on somebody else. With this inspiration, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn began to seriously try to type. She said her first message was a line-long letter to a friend that took her several hours to type. However, from then on, she has had several practices and is now capable of high-speed typing. With her own first-hand experience, HRH always suggests children to learn to type before using computers. Proficient typing does not only make it easier to use computers but also increase efficiency in utilization of computer and electricity resources.
HRH’s research topic at AIT investigated the utilization of agricultural land using satellite photogrammetry. In one case study of land abandonment, the satellite photos indicated that inconsistent water supply was the cause of abandonment. With this finding, HRH decided to use this deserted land to grow rice. By selecting the specie and planting time according to the water supply condition, this experimental rice field produced a good harvest. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn named the rice crop from this field ‘Satellite rice’. After this successful experiment, this formerly forsaken land was returned to its owner.
At AIT, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn also had an opportunity to do a case study on selected areas in Panatnikhom and Chaibadan districts, Lop Buri province . In this case study, Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to determine appropriate types of crop for these particular areas. HRH later stated that this case study was not successful due to lack of relevant data such as rain statistics. Nevertheless, HRH did have an opportunity to learn how to make an effective use of GIS.
As a professor at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, she uses computers to prepare teaching materials. Besides making the preparation faster and more convenient, computer is also an excellent tool for documentation. That is, it provides a back-up system in case of loss of paper-based document. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is also a regular user of Internet to search for information she may use in her courses or numerous development projects under her initiatives. Furthermore, everyday there are typically more than 100 email messages sent to her, while HRH sent out about 1-2. However, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn expressed her view that Internet, though beneficial and necessary in some cases, is not a universal solution to all areas. Database and CD-ROM, on the other hand, are more applicable since, unlike the Internet, they do not have to rely on telecommunication infrastructure.
HRH told the interviewers about an Internet center in a refugee camp in Tansania where solar system is used as a replacement of electricity. Due to the remote location of the camp, Internet does not provide only an access to education but also a means of communication to the outside world. Some camp members are even willing to spend their food money on the access charge. To them, the Internet helps make living in isolation more bearable. In such case, Internet has become a necessity. It significantly expands education coverage in Africa where teachers are difficult to find.
With a recognition of the potential of digital library as a convenient source of knowledge, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn initiated a Plant Conservation program. The objective of this program is to make all information related to plant reservation which was typically kept independently at various governmental organizations easily available online via the Internet. This information gathering provides not only an easy access to valuable information for students and experts in both public or private sectors but also a comprehensive picture regarding the scope of work of each involved organization. In such case, redundancy could be recognized and minimized resulting to a more efficient utilization of governmental resources.
In the Plant Conservation program, the students do have a first-hand involvement in the program because they have to record information about the plant species available in their local area into the database. This close involvement makes them proud of their land and inspires them to conserve the environment.
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has always been strongly determined to follow HM King Rama 9’s footsteps. This determination was beautifully expressed long time ago through a poem titled ‘To Follow Daddy’s Footsteps’ or ‘Le pas de mon pere’ HRH wrote in 1976. It is clear in the hearts of all Thais that HRH Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn always has and always will follow HM the King’s footsteps for the sake of the Thai people at large.
‘To Follow Daddy’s Footsteps’
I follow daddy’s quick footsteps without stopping
Into an endless jungle dark and scary
There are trees towering high and strong
Daddy…I’m very tired and hungry
Look…there is blood on my wounded feet
I’m scared of snakes, tigers, and wolves
Daddy…will we reach the destination?
Dear child…for you, there’s no place in this world joyful and luxurious
Our path is not full of beautiful flowers
Go! though your heart is aching
I see thorns in your delicate skin
Your blood is like rubies on the grass
Your tears on a green bush are like shinning diamonds on emerald
For the people, be brave
Patient and wise in times of misery
Be happy to hold on to a precious conviction
Go! if you want to follow daddy’s footsteps
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has always stressed the importance of effective utilization. In the following message HRH expressed that since the project has been conducted for many years and most of the schools have already had an access to computers, the focus should therefore be shifted from providing computers to assisting the schools in making a good use of computers.
“For us now, it may be more interesting to know about the detail than just giving out computers to more schools because now everybody has computers. The matter is just how to use these computers.”
Although HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has recognized the importance and usefulness of IT in education, she has never disregarded the value of affordable and easy to use conventional teaching aids such as books and video tapes.
“In case of secondary schools that have satellite TV, I often give the advice or donate videotape player that teachers can tape the lessons to watch several times. In fact, I find that audio tapes made by Kor Sor Nor are more cost effective. In schools with computers, when teachers complain about the instability of electricity, I donate UPS but for those remote schools in villages which has small number of students or villagers are supposed to use the facilities I haven’t5 said anything. I just try to make them to read more to increase the literacy rate and donate books. Even the secondary schools, I find the video tapes of Chulalongkorn University more useful.”
Since at young age, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Siridhorn has accompanied their Majesties the King and Queen to several remote places in all parts of Thailand. With these experiences together with her own interest in physical geography, HRH was delighted to have the book “Thailand from Space” published by the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) in her honor.
“Making this book has been my dream since I was in the secondary school. I was interested in Physical Geography but in the textbook the examples were all something in the U.S. Teacher said some of the features didn’t exist in Thailand. Later I had a chance to travel with HMK and HMQ and had seen and learn about the geographical structures. I wanted to make a book with the explanation, the contour maps, aerial photos (I don’t know about satellite images then) my dream was not realized until later. Thanks to that group of Archarns. I am grateful to them. There are many editions and it was out of print very quickly. It was also very expensive. Later we made an abridged version for students (can be called student edition). In my opinion, we should select only some parts and some images and put on-line bit by bit like the encyclopedia. We can ask NRCT whether the image can be used on-line.”
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has involved in education development of Thai rural students since she was only 16 years old. She is well aware of and deeply sympathizes with quality of life problems the people in rural area have to face. These awareness and sympathy apparently have led to several rural development projects, with receive not only the strategic vision but also financial support from HRH, to elevate the quality of lives of the Thai people. The IT Project is one of such projects.
“I started my work for the education of the people in the rural area since I was 16 years old. It is good in a way that I got first hand 9information of lives in the rural areas and received kindness and friendship from the resource people and experts (agronomists, technical people) and also the local people.”
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn believes that the introduction of IT to schools should be done in a gradual manner. It is rather not easy to change the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers and administrators to accept IT. Furthermore, many schools still have certain physical constraints that make the introduction difficult if not at all impossible. Therefore, the focus of the IT Project is definitely not on investing on the latest technology, but on enhancing basic essential elements including student health first and foremost before any technology innovation can be put in place.
“It was not only important for the rural people but give chance for people like me who have to improve myself quite a lot. The way to spread IT to rural areas is not easy. I chatted with many teachers. Some teachers have never heard about fax machines. Some schools still have no electricity. In most libraries, there are not enough books, even textbooks. Not enough classrooms. The adult education students and teachers are very enthusiastic with satellite THAICOM program but complain about not enough manuals or textbooks to go with satellite programs.”
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was concerned with unnecessary wasteful utilization of computer time and electricity due to students’ slow typing speed. Her concern led to the distribution of ‘purple typewriters’ donated by Metro Computer Systems Corporation. The schools that receive computers from HRH’s IT Project will receive these typewriters as well. Typewriter is a good tool for the students to improve their typing skills.
“I think it is wasteful (computer and electricity) when the children type slowly so I asked them to learn ten fingers printing and train with ordinary typewriters first so it will save the time and money…”
HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is a regular Internet user. She uses the Internet for work and communication even during her travel in several parts of the country. However, due to limited telecommunication infrastructure in certain parts, HRH does not regard the Internet as the ultimate, absolutely essential solution to all. She perceives that we can make stand-alone computers a very beneficial learning tool without having to depend on the Internet.
“…Only in Chiangmai and Chiangrai, my internet connection was bad. I guess that it will be bad in Nan too. In Narathiwas, Nakornsithammarat, and here it is fine. I visited Suksasonkroh Sakonnakorn. Teachers complained of being unable to connect because of the poor telephone line. I think for this school and most schools connection is not that much important. Instead the students may learn to work more on stand alone computer, writing program etc…”
This paragraph describes some parts of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s speech given at “ไอทีเฉลิมพระเกียรติ : เทคโนโลยีเพื่อประชาชน” on June 2, 1995 at UNESCAP, Bangkok. “Information Technology is comprised of database, telecommunications, and computers. These three parts have been concurrently developed. The application of IT are tailored towards the context in which they are used.”. She further stated that, “IT can be an effective development tool and can be used in a wide range of development aspects.” Another part of the speech disclosed that, “All technologies are beneficial to development. In an ancient society, the population was small. To live comfortably, people only had to adapt to their natural physical surroundings and societal rules. However, at present, the population is large while resources are sparse making simple adaptation inadequate. The use of technology has been essential to enable an effective and efficient utilization of limited resources… However, we have to use the technology wisely and not be desperately technology dependant. We must not destroy the nature. The nature must be preserved forever… People must have freedom, particularly freedom to think and ability to contemplate wisely. To have a sustainable development, both physical, technology-based development and spiritual development must go concurrently and coherently.”
Soon after this speech, HRH’s IT Project was constituted. Actually, almost all projects and programs under HRH’s initiation, should they be in the area of education, healthcare, agriculture, cartography, environment, welfare for the disabled, art and culture and so on, generally involve science or IT in some way or another.
IT for Education Program
“Human resource development is a very fundamental investment in the development of a country. We use education as a key to human resource development. Among all several elements that affect development efficiency, human resource is the most important. Nowadays, human resource development and sustainable development are frequently mentioned. There are numerous ways to use IT in education development. IT can help equalize distribution of education which will in turn continuously lead to a success in the development of the country overall.” This paragraph is taken from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s speech given at “ไอทีเฉลิมพระเกียรติ : เทคโนโลยีเพื่อประชาชน” on June 2, 1995 at UNESCAP, Bangkok.
IT for Education is a program under HRH’s IT Project. The program was launched in late 1995, almost at the same time as the IT Project itself since HRH has always recognized that education is indeed a foundation to sustainable development. The IT for Education program at the time takes an emphasis on the dissemination of IT to students in rural areas with the attempt to enhance their education opportunity and quality.
