Authors : Pisit Boonchai, Chusri Talubmook and Chalard Chantarasombat
Abstract: Encouraging factors of managing herbal education in the area of lower Mekong river Basin are the context of the region where the natural environment, economic and social culture has a high potential in regards to the abundance and diversity of many indigenous herbs have many knowledgeable people in herbal knowledge and an abundance of fertile natural sources such as local indigenous herbs, mountains, forests and rivers. The Thai government has also been promoting health care through means of alternative medicine by bringing into law, the royal ACT of protection and promoting indigenous knowledge of Thai traditional medicine. The results of managing herbal education consists of the application of herbal health care, reducing the use of modern medicine to be <5% annum-1, reducing expenditure, increasing personnel income, increase opportunities in health care, development of a quality environment, create awareness in conservation of natural resource, good cultural values, good conservation and rehabilitation knowledge and the creation of new occupations in regards to herbal health and beauty products and services. There are many projects to raise the public’s awareness in conservation and protection, but the fact is that local indigenous herbs are still disappearing. Further development plans are needed to achieve successful conservation, rehabilitation and sustained development of herbal education. Proposed development plans include personnel development to create quality staff, development of sources of herbs in communities, development of herbal education in communities and the development of public relations and distribution of knowledge.
Pisit Boonchai, Chusri Talubmook and Chalard Chantarasombat, 2009. Developing Herbal Education in Northeast Thailand in the Lower Mekong River Basin. The Social Sciences, 4: 468-471.