HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND THAI SILK CONSERVATION
During the first Royal visit to the people of the North-Eastern provinces in
1955, Her Majesty was deeply impressed in "mat mi" phasins worn by villagers
coming to greet their King and Queen.
During the 1970 visit to distribute articles of necessity to victims of a
devastating flood in Nakhon Phanom Province. His Majesty the King remarked that
such a relief-effort was only a temporary kind and that there should be
long-term to stand on their own feet.
His Majesty the King's remarks and Her Majesty the Queen's admiration in the
beauty of mat mi textiles led to Her Majesty the Queen's promotion of Thai silk
weaving as a cottage industry for villagers to earn their supplementary income
that could support their families during hardship deriving from drought or flood.
Later, Her Majesty assigned Thanpuying Suprapada Kasemsant, Private Secretary
to Her Majesty, and Khunying Charungjit Teekara, a lady-in-waiting to Her
Majesty, to travel to the homes of the villagers in the provinces of the
north-eastern region such as Nakhon Phanom, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham to buy mat mi
textiles.
Her Majesty the Queen personally inspected the mat mi textiles that were
bought and encouraged the weavers to increase the number of their works Her
Majesty the Queen also gave recommendations on silk worms, dyes, patterns and
quality of mat mi textiles to the weavers. Prescription eye-glasses and weaving
instruments were usually given to the weavers, reflecting.
Her Majesty the Queen's concerns over them.
Her Majesty's assistance for the weavers came entirely from Her personal
Purse until charitable persons expressed their desire to have an opportunity to
help assisting those people. Therefore, the Foundation for the Promothon of
Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (SUPPORT) of Her Majesty Queen
Sirikit of Thailand was established in 1976, primarily aiming to increase the
villagers' income and later on to conserve and promote Thai handicrafts.
The name significantly reflects Her Majesty's dedication to the foundation.
Apart from being the Foundation's president, Her Majesty also supervises the
foundation's working procedures.
Founded in 1979, The Supplementary Occupations Training Center in the
Chitralada Palace is a center for the promotion of Supplementary Occupations
nationwide. Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family select members of The
poor families to be trained at the center.
Not only gaining knowledge about handicrafts ranging from silver and golden
neilloware, silverware, goldenware to silk and cotton weaving, accommodation,
and other fringe benefits are also available.Nowadays, handicrafts made by the
trainees of the Supplementary Occupations
Training Center at the Chitralada Palace and by the local people all over the
country are displayed at a handicraft showroom in the compound of the Chitralada
Palace. Visitors are allowed to appriciate and purchase them during working
hours.
It might be said that Her Majesty the Queen is the leader in the promotion of
mat mi textiles as she always wears mat mi silk clothings both in Thai and
international styles and also persuades her ladies-in-waiting-to wear clothes of
mat mi materials.
For further promotion. Her Majesty the Queen has many times given
instructions that silk and mat mi fashion shows and sales be arranged both in
the Palace and other places.
Unsurprisingly, supports come from many sharable persons.
Her Majesty's determination to assist the poor people and to revive and
conserve traditional Thai handicrafts is deeply appreciated by the Thai citizen.
02. December 2004