Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother took a particularly deep interest in arts and crafts and set an example in the preservation of Thai arts and culture. One of her royal initiatives was the establishment of the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques, known in short as the SUPPORT Foundation.

This organization came into being following Her Majesty’s frequent visits to rural areas of the country to obtain first-hand information about local people. Her Majesty traveled throughout the country, accompanying King Rama IX on his various projects to help rural people solve their problems. She noticed farmers’ difficult living conditions and found that their fine craftsmanship in arts and crafts should be preserved for future generations.

Her Majesty said that she wanted to see farmers engaged in supplementary occupations to earn more income and spend time fruitfully. Her awareness of the importance of preserving Thai arts and crafts resulted in the establishment of the SUPPORT Foundation under her patronage in 1976. 

The primary objective of SUPPORT is to form women’s groups and provide them with equipment, materials, and training in cottage industries. With sufficient training, farmers are able to produce high-quality crafts. Most of the crafts are indigenous to the areas where the projects have been set up and use locally available raw materials. 

Her Majesty observed that Thai villagers were good at making a wide variety of handicrafts and folk arts. The supplementary occupation of craft-making makes it easier for families to acquire a second source of income for basic necessities when emergencies arise.

Apart from benefiting craft makers and their families, SUPPORT plays a part in reviving traditional crafts and preserving them. Moreover, it helps strengthen the role and status of women in their community. The foundation has grown significantly to include craft shops in cities and popular tourist spots. Besides individual projects in various regions of the country, SUPPORT established two folk art and craft training centers. One is located in the compound of Chitralada Villa in Bangkok and the other at the Bangsai Arts and Crafts Center in Ayutthaya Province. 

The training includes various craft skills, such as basketry, silk weaving, gold and silver ware, drawing and painting, hand embroidery, artificial flower making, dressmaking, and woodcarving. Her Majesty personally undertook the promotion of these crafts, which now have numerous admirers both within and outside the country.