Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Private Bag 98 Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Australia
Phone (03) 6226 6339
www.tia.tas.edu.au
Thursday, 17 September 2012
Distinguished Thai guests visit TIA in Hobart
His Serene Highness, Prince Bhisadej Rajani of Thailand recently made a three-day tour of Tasmania. The Prince and a delegation of senior agricultural officials from the Royal Project Foundation attended the Fine Food Australia show in Melbourne before making their way to Hobart.
Unfortunately, Prince Rajani was not able to attend the meeting with TIA staff. In the photo below, the group includes, from left to right: Michele Buntain, TIA Extension Officer; Mr Suthat Pleumpanya, Advisor to the HRDI Executive Board; Miss Aschariya Juntaravong, First Secretary, Agriculture; Dr Richard Doyle, UTAS Agricultural Science Deputy Head of School; Mrs Sawanit Phongprapai, HRDI Deputy Director; Prof Holger Meinke, TIA Director and Head of School; Miss Vanida Khumnirdpetch, Minister Counsellor, Agriculture; Dr Dugald Close, TIA Perennial Horticulture Centre Leader; Dr Jay Kocharunchitt, TIA Food Safety Centre; Mr Siripong Hungspreug, HRDI Director; and Somphot Kocharunchitt; TIA PhD student.
Prof Meinke gave the Thai delegation and brief outline of TIA’s strategic plan and its current main areas of activity. The delegation then discussed a range of issues they had in common with TIA including value chain research and climate change adaptation. The delegation was also interested in the legal and policy framework in Tasmania for hemp production.
It was agreed that further discussion will take place on potential cooperation in several areas.
In the 1969 King Bhumibol Adulyadej established the Royal Project centred in Fang District under his leadership to encourage the hill tribes to cease growing opium. As President of the project, he gave advice to the hill tribes on substitution of cash crops such as fruit and vegetables. The project will continue until May 2014 but interim findings will be communicated to graziers.