ANG TOEY VILLAGE (บ้านอ่างเตย)
Ang Toey Village is located at village no. 9, Ta Takiap Sub-District, Ta Takiap District, Chachoengsao Province. It is situated 75 kilometers from Chachoengsao, occupying 24,000 acres of land, of which approximately 9,000 acres are used for diversified plantations such as cassava, rubber, eucalyptus and pineapple etc. and 3,000 acres are rice paddy fields. In 1996 the village was also selected to be part of PTT reforestation project, which followed the Reforestation Campaign in Commemoration of the Royal Golden Jubilee. The village headman is Mr. Praiwal Khumprasit. Majority of local people came from the lower Northeastern part of Thailand. At present, there are 320 households with total population of 1464. The success of the whole village was recognized since the year 2007.
Ang Toey Village is a small, close-knitted community. It started off as a small scale farming community then expanded to diversified farming and occupations. Villagers are hard working persons and self-reliant I.e. they worked and produced for their own consumptions initially. Villagers started off as being farmers but as time went by, they realized that rice farming was not sufficient and was not good for their soil so this was the starting point of diversified farmings and occupations namely rice farming, orchards, vegetable growing, silk woven, fish cultivation. From producing for own consumptions, surplus occurred so they started selling/exchanging to nearby villages thus extra income earnings. This whole working concept fitted very well with His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej’s ‘Sufficiency Economy Model’.
The major factors that contributed to the village’s success in adopting the sufficiency economy philosophy are the three main characteristics that describe the villagers’ way of life. They are modesty or sufficiency, reasonableness or rationality and immunity to change or protection. Firstly, Modesty or sufficiency means villagers lived their lives modestly and were satisfied with the outcome of the work - not wanting too little and not too much. Farmings were carried out for own consumption as the first priority and, if there were surpluses then the surpluses would be sold to earn extra income. They live within their means and are happy and content with what they have. Helping themselves and strengthening the community are what matter most. Secondly, reasonableness or rationality means all villagers would make all decisions that would impact the villages carefully. When there was a need to do something out of ordinary, all possible alternatives with pros and cons would be identified. Then on the 5th of every month, villagers would gather together for their monthly meeting to discuss and decide on actions. All related factors and all possible effects are carefully considered to make sure that the decision would yield optimal benefits to the village and its members. Thirdly, immunity to internal and external changes/risks means villagers realized the possibilities that, even though they live for the present, the future can bring changes or risks. These changes or risks can be internal or external. To cushion themselves against and be able to survive through the changes with least possible impact over the village’s livelihood and happiness, various village funds had been set up based on different scenarios they foresaw to accommodate these changes, such as cooperatives, savings to protect farming and help with production, cremation fund, other welfare funds, etc.
Besides these aforementioned factors, hard work, good planning, integrity, sympathy honesty, generosity, diligent, perseverance and patience are also important in contributing to the village’s success.
At the local level is the active participation of the villagers. Villagers willingly worked together, shared ideas and discussed problems. Problems and solutions, facts, experiences were collected and thus learning center established to help educate others and allow for continuous improvements. The involvement did not stop at local level. The bureaucrats and officials at the responsible state agencies were brought in to help and to listen to what the community truly need. Then this was relayed to higher level. This included the Chachoengsao Provincial Administration Organization with representatives selected from various districts. From Ta Ta Kiap district is Mr. Sumruay Sapprasarn. The activities undertaken for benefit and welfares of the villagers as the consequence of undertaking the sufficiency economy comprised of: 1. Set up village funds for livelihood development of the whole village 2. Set up production cooperatives 3. Set up cremation fund 4. Set up and promote various group savings in support of self-sufficient economy approach in fighting against poverty, food security and other unexpected matters. 5. Established community learning center 6. Set up group to be responsible with bio-fertilizer production for village use to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers that could ruin the soil and merchandising 7. Set up silk weaving group to pass on the conventional wisdom and support the weaving of silk 8. Set up non-toxic vegetable growing group 9. Set up fish cultivation in pond group 10. Set up bamboo growing group 11. Set up broom weaving 11. Set up animal husbandry
These various groups have been set up for the benefit of the village and community to make sure that the local existing resources have been used effectively and wisely to ensure sustainability development and existence of the whole village. When the production is in excess then the products would be sold for extra income earnings.
The village is very proud of its accomplishment in being able to adopt and implement successfully the King’s sufficiency economy model in 2009. Its accomplishment is widely recognized nationwide. The following awards/recognitions were given to the village:
- As the model of community learning-center of the whole Chachoengsao province in 2011
- As the prototype of successful agricultural sufficiency economy model village of Chachoengsao in 2011
- As the sufficiency economy village of Chachoengsao with name of ‘live well and be happy’ village in 2010
- As the prototype of sufficiency economy village of Chachoengsao with name of ‘live well, eat well’ village in 2009
The greatest consequence from adopting the sufficiency economy model besides the self-reliance and the happiness is the village’s balanced and sustainable developments, which are established to withstand both expected and unexpected changes in economy, society, environment and technology, to ensure sustainable future.
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