Reviving Thailand’s dairy legacy

A 60-year-old project designed to bring European dairy expertise to Thailand has been reinvigorated in a bid to help the country’s dairy sector become more sustainable.

First established in 1962, the international program started out as a collaboration between Denmark and Thailand to bring milk production to the Southeast Asian country.

Impressed with Danish dairy farms on a trip to Europe some years earlier, Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej decided he wanted his subjects to be able to enjoy fresh milk.

Together with King Frederik IX of Denmark, and with the support of the Danish government and dairy sector organisations, they agreed to export Danish dairy genetics to help kickstart Thailand’s dairy industry.

Along with cattle, Denmark also sent over dairy experts to train local farmers, and helped to build a demonstration farm in Muak Lek, 150km north of Bangkok, where modern production methods could be showcased and farmers could learn.

With ongoing support from Danish farm staff, the project evolved to become the Thai-Danish Dairy, a state-owned dairy company that works with 3500 farmers across the country and remain’s Thailand’s largest dairy processor.