In Thailand it means a lot, if an institution receives a special recognition by a member of the Thai royal family. Recently the Hanns Seidel Foundation, represented by the Director of the Institute for International Cooperation and the Director of the Office in Bangkok, Mr. Christian Hegemer and Mr. Karl-Peter Schönfisch, had the great honor to receive in an official ceremony as the only international institution such a recognition by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

The Princess expressed her special thanks for the various projects activities focusing on enhancing the standard of living in rural areas in particular. 70% of the Thai population are still generating their income in rural areas, but most of the increased wealth is concentrated on urban areas. Therefore, the projects of HSF are especially targeting the improvement of the work of rural cooperatives and SME in a close collaboration with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and the provincial governments. The seminars and workshops are meant for an advanced training regarding the enhancement of better legal, administrative, organizational and even technical skills for wider parts of the rural population with a special view for the recruitment and trainings of young people. In the sociopolitical field the activities should lead to an enhanced political participation and understanding of democratic principles.

Since there is still a remarkable socioeconomic gap between rural and urban areas, the HSD understands HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s recognition as a task to continue its work in Thailand.