Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University joins the exhibition “Thai Resources: Looking Back at Our Own Wealth,” advancing the RSPG Royal Initiative for sustainable natural resource conservation at Maejo University, Chiang Mai

4–10 November 2025, Chiang Mai — Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University participated in the 12th Academic Conference and Exhibition on “Thai Resources: Looking Back at Our Own Wealth,” held under the Royal Initiative on Plant Genetic Conservation of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (RSPG) and hosted by Maejo University, Sansai District, Chiang Mai.

The University’s delegation was led by Assist.Prof. Dr. Pharmacist Pimporn Thongmuang, Vice President of Samut Songkhram Campus, and Asst.Prof. Dr.Wat Ploysri, Vice-Director for Academic Affairs and Training service, together with faculty members responsible for RSPG projects: Assoc.Prof. Dr.Chaisri Tharasawatpipat, Assist.Prof. Dr.Ruthairat Siriwattanarat, Dr.Rumrada Meeboonya, Orawan Wonganan, Dr.Kanokporn Somporn, Niwat Songsin, and Prangthong Nonthakan from the College of Allied Health Sciences. The team presented featured works centered on conserving local biodiversity and plant genetic resources, raising public awareness of environmental stewardship and sustainable development.

In this exhibition, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University showcased five projects that integrate academic knowledge with community development and long-term conservation of natural resources. Each project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as follows.

1) Project: “Conservation and Promotion of Bang Chang Chili Cultivation among Students and Youth to Foster Appreciation of Local Plant Genetic Resources in Samut Songkhram Province.”

This project instills awareness of local plant varietal value among young people through agricultural and conservation learning, aligning with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 4 (Quality Education).

2) Project: “Diversity, Conservation, and Sustainable Use of Leguminosae (Subfamily Papilionoideae) and Local Timber Resources in Bang Khonthi District, Samut Songkhram.”

By building a local plant database for balanced conservation and economic utilization, the project advances SDG 15 (Life on Land).

3) Project: “Promoting Community-Based Sustainable Management of the Black-Chinned Tilapia (Saraphi/Plah Mo Khong Dam).”

Focusing on community-led aquatic resource governance for balanced and continuous use, the work supports SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

4) Project: “Enhancing the Potential of Mangrove Species to Conserve Biodiversity in Samut Songkhram Province.”

Through propagation and restoration of mangrove species to strengthen coastal resilience and ecological balance, the project contributes to SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

5) Project: “Community Participation in Mangrove Conservation: A Case Study in Samut Songkhram Province.”

By forging collaboration among communities, government agencies, and the University for participatory conservation, the project advances SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University’s participation demonstrates its capacity as a knowledge hub for conservation and sustainable resource development, and reflects the University’s proactive role in translating the SDGs into practice at the local level under its mission as a “University for Local Development.”