Kalasin launches centre to conserve Thai buffaloes

KALASIN, Oct 23 (TNA) -- Kalasin province in the northeastern region has launched the Thai Buffalo Conservation and Breeding Development Centre in Somdej district, aiming to expand the network of buffalo farmers to all villages in the province. Somdej district head Somjed Tengmongkol and Nong Waeng Subdistrict Administration Organisation (SAO), jointly presided over the official opening ceremony of the centre at Wat Wong Sawang Thiwaram temple earlier today. The temple has become well known for its Thai buffaloes raising efforts, since after the monastery's abbot has saved a Thai buffalo from a slaughter house and promoted the idea of a Buffalo Bank in 2010, urging local villagers to help raise the farm animal in the village to preserve its specie. Presently, 32 buffaloes have been given to local farmers to raise, where they have been using the animals' dunk as manure and in turn creating organic rice farms in the village. Another 20 buffaloes are being raised in the temple, where the monks and villagers have been working alongside to feed and taking care of them. The move has brought back the buffaloes to Baan Nong Kham village, after the farm animal could never be seen in the area for over the past 2 decades. The district and local offices have then foreseen the importance of Thai buffaloes and have decided to turn the temple into a Thai buffalo conversation centre, in hopes to motivate the public, particularly youths, to realise the importance of buffaloes, which would lead to further development of the Thai buffalo breed to create the quality animals. (TNA)