Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother was instrumental in the initiation of many conservation projects. Among them was the conservation of sea turtles, which were threatened with extinction many years ago.

Sea turtles, their eggs, and shells had been sought after as culinary delicacies and ornaments. Endangered by both humans and polluted seas, some species of sea turtles were back then already on the verge of extinction. Sea turtles play an important role in marine ecosystems and help maintain healthy coral reefs.

Concerned about the decline in sea turtles, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit granted her personal property on Ko Man Nai, or Man Nai Island, in Klaeng District, Rayong Province, to the Department of Fisheries for the establishment of a center for turtle conservation, where breeding and hatching could carry on naturally. Ko Man Nai, covering 137 rai (about 54.8 acres), was presented to Her Majesty by the Government at that time.

The Sea Turtle Conservation Project, under the initiative of Her Majesty, began on 11 August 1979, when Her Majesty the Queen granted sea turtles to the Department of Fisheries for the purpose of carrying out breeding projects and conducting research studies. 

The Royal Thai Navy Sea Turtle Conservation Center played a crucial role in this project by bringing turtle eggs, mainly from Ko Khram, a nearby island, in Sattahip District, Chon Buri Province, for incubation. Hatchlings were raised for six months before being tagged for monitoring and released into the sea. A number of them would be kept and raised as breeding stock.

Many generations of sea turtles have now been bred and released. Apart from sea turtle conservation, this project has also expanded to cover conservation of other marine resources, such as coral reefs, giant clams, and dugongs.

The Sea Turtle Conservation Project has proved highly successful in breeding sea turtles and releasing them back into their natural habitat. It serves as a model for marine resource conservation on a sustainable basis and has become a major learning center for the study of Thailand’s marine ecosystems. The future of this endangered species is now secure, thanks to the compassion and wide vision of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother.