A senior official at the Huayxone-Huayxua Agricultural Development Service Centre (right) gives a briefing on the centre’s work to Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand during their visit on Wednesday.  --Photo Phonepaseuth Volakhoun

Thai royal couple visits Huayxone–Huayxua Agricultural Centre in Vientiane

Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana of the Kingdom of Thailand visited the Huayxone-Huayxua Agricultural Development Service Centre on Wednesday, as part of their state visit to Laos from March 16-18.
The visit reflected the deep-rooted ties between the two countries and came just over three decades since His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit toured the centre in April 1994.
Welcoming the royal couple at the facility were Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, his wife, and senior officials from both countries.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, representing the Lao government, presented a briefing on the centre’s history and achievements.
The centre was established on April 8, 1994, during the first state visit to Laos by King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit, and has grown into a comprehensive hub for agricultural development, supporting farmers and communities across the region.
The centre’s key achievements include construction of the Huayxone Reservoir, which stores over two million cubic metres of water annually and provides irrigation for around 580 hectares of farmland in eight surrounding villages.
Work on soil quality improvement, crop cultivation, livestock and fisheries production, and farmer promotion has significantly contributed to local livelihoods.
Each year, the centre provides short- and long-term training programmes for at least 1,500 farmers, students and government officials, as well as study tours and practical demonstrations, fostering model households and encouraging integrated agricultural practices.
Officials said the centre embodies the vision shared by President Kaysone Phomvihane and King Bhumibol Adulyadej, whose Royal Initiative laid the foundation for ongoing Lao-Thai cooperation in agriculture.
On this auspicious occasion, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, on behalf of the government and people of Laos, as well as the Houayxone-Houayxua Agriculture Development Service Centre, expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation for the Royal Family’s support for the centre.
The Royal Initiative has provided valuable benefits and lessons in the development of the centre and is helping to improve the livelihoods of the multiethnic Lao people step by step.
Their Majesties the King and Queen, together with President Thongloun Sisoulith and his wife, also toured an exhibition showcasing the centre’s achievements and the new theory agriculture project. They also joined in planting trees as a memorial at the centre.
The Huayxone-Huayxua Agricultural Development Service Centre is located in Naxaithong district, Vientiane, and is the first Royal Development Project in Laos initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The facility serves as a national hub for agricultural development, training, and cooperation between Laos and Thailand.

By Bounfaeng Phaymanivong
(Latest Update March 19, 2026 )