Doi Tung: From Opium Poppy Farmers to Social Entrepreneurs
Intact nature and a flourishing economy, where former opium poppy farmers can earn secure livelihoods – what might sound like a script for an Alternative Development commercial is, in fact, reality. The Doi Tung project in northern Thailand demonstrates that Alternative Development works. The Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage successfully halted the cultivation of opium poppies and improved the living situation of the local population.
The Doi Tung Development Project is located in Chiang Rai, in the so-called Golden Triangle, the border region between Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. Just 30 years ago, this area was one of the centres for drug crop production. In 1988, theMae Fah Luang Foundation (MFLF), founded by Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra in 1972, launched the Doi Tung Development Project. Using a people-centred development approach, the MFLF addressed the problem of opium poppy cultivation by introducing licit livelihood alternatives and reducing poverty and its related social consequences in a sustainable manner. Today, the project is regarded as one of the most successful examples of Alternative Development worldwide.
Alternative Development refers to the use of development policy instruments to address the root causes of illicit drug cultivation. The MFLF believes that growing illicit crops and deforestation were the end results of poverty and lack of opportunities – the underlying causes that drove people to break the law.
Doi Tung's drug and environmental problems were further complicated by the presence of six ethnic minorities in the region, with armed conflicts flaring up along the border areas. Most of the residents did not have Thai citizenship. The inhabitants of this remote northern mountain region, primarily belonging to tribes that originally migrated from Myanmar, were not criminalised the MFLF. Instead, the foundation adopted a holistic approach. As a first step, the approximately 9,000 people in the 29 communities were offered treatment and rehabilitation programmes. Once they overcame their problematic use, they were given the opportunity to work. After starting work, they received additional education and were able to develop their skills further. They were empowered to create the change themselves.
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At the same time, the social and environmental conditions in the region improved through joint efforts with the government: The road network and infrastructure were enhanced, and schools and job training programmes were established. While the majority of Doi Tung’s inhabitants were once illiterate, today’s younger generation attends universities. Moreover, a total of 80% of the forest has been revived through community participation in economic forestry and reforestation programmes. The ethnic minorities were able to preserve their traditions while being integrated into Thai society.
This project was part of a broader series of initiatives by the Thai government aimed at ending opium production in the northern regions of the country. For five decades, Thailand persued this goal by providing local communities with legal alternatives to illicit drug crop cultivation. From the outset, German Development Cooperation supported the Thai Government's commitment through Alternative Development projects. In 2003, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) removed Thailand from the list of opium-producing countries.
Today, the people of Doi Tung warn legal livelihoods by growing and processing premium-quality coffee and macadamia nuts, as well as pursuing opportunities under the Doi Tung brand in horticulture, high-fashion textiles, home décor, and tourism. Doi Tung has been financially self-sustaining since 2002, with profits reinvested into development activities, making it one of Thailand’s first social enterprises.
Other countries can also benefit from the knowledge and experience of Doi Tung. The MFLF supports similar projects in other parts of Thailand and abroad. Moreover, the MFLF is an implementation partner of the GPDPD. Together, they facilitate measures in the GPDPD partner countries and regularly conduct training courses on development policy approaches to addressing illicit drug cultivation. These trainings are held in Doi Tung and are attended by representatives from third countries. Each year, government delegations visit the MFLF projects to observe the practical implementation of the Alternative Development approach.
