Biotechnology to conserve

Biotechnology to conserve the teak trees used to restore the Giant Swing

The Giant Swing is an ancient monument that has been a part of the history of Bangkok ever since it was founded in 1784. King Rama I ordered to have the large swing built for the annual swinging or Triyambawai ceremony. In 1949, the Fine Arts Department declared the Giant Swing a national historical monument.

In 2004 the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Fine Arts Department agreed that the Giant Swing was in critical need of repair. They set about searching for suitable logs to serve as new pillars so that this important monument can continue to be a part of Bangkok. The search for perfectly straight trees that were the same size as the originals resulted in the discovery of six appropriate trees in Denchai District, Phrae Province. The first was found along Highway Number 101 in between Denchai and Sri Satchanalai. The second was found in the area of the Sai Yoi Forest Preservation Unit along the Denchai-Lampang highway and the final four trees were found in Huay Rai Forest in front of Wat Huay Rai in Denchai District.

The villagers in the places where the teak trees grew loved them and wanted to keep them but they agreed to donate them for the purpose of restoring the Giant Swing for the occasion of the 60^th anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration joined the National Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), the Royal Forestry Department and the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry to initiate a project to propagate the trees that were used to restore the Giant Swing so that their lines could be carried on for everyone in the nation.

At BIOTEC, Dr. Somvong Trakoolrung, Director of the DNA Technology operations unit, inspected the DNA of the six trees, which were designated Primary Pillar 1, Primary Pillar 2, Secondary Pillar 1, Secondary Pillar 2, Secondary Pillar 3 and Secondary Pillar 4, and compared their DNA to that of other teak trees within a one-kilometer radius of where they grew.

Dr. Orawan Chatchawankanphanich, a researcher at the plant genetic engineering research unit at BIOTEC, used a tissue culture technique to propagate the trees used to make the Giant Swing, especially Primary Pillar 1, which was 90 years old, perfectly straight and was very resistant to insect damage. The objective of her project is to produce cloned saplings that could be planted out in nature.

BIOTEC is in the process of propagating the six Giant Swing trees to produce the first batch of 10,000 auspicious saplings within 2008, with the ultimate goal of producing 200,000 new trees by the end of 2010. The Royal Forestry Department will take the sprouts generated through tissue culture and further propagate them by cuttings to produce one million saplings. The young trees will be distributed to different agencies and organizations to give to the public to plant all over the country in 2011, when His Majesty the King will celebrate his 84^th birthday.

That way, citizens all over the country will be able to take part in helping preserve these auspicious teak trees. Teak is also one of the kinds of trees that is numbered among the “Nine Lucky Trees” of traditional belief. Teak signifies dignity and honour. Thus, by planting these lucky trees people will not only be able to show their loyalty to His Majesty the King but will also be able to join in a significant event that cements national unity and binds people together all over the country. Planting trees will have both direct and indirect benefits for future generations.