King Rama IX’s Legacy: Royal Projects vs. Western Spending

Goshen Admin
Dec 18, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Jan 14

Stewardship in Thailand vs. Western Misuse of Funds

Bronze statue of seated figure with sword on ornate pedestal, surrounded by elaborate stone arch, with temple and trees in background.

King Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulyadej) initiated numerous royal projects aimed at promoting sustainable development and community welfare in Thailand.

These efforts are often compared to instances of public spending in Western countries, such as the U.S. Healthcare.gov website development and Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology app upgrade.

For investors, freedom-seekers, Christians, locals, digital nomads, families, and expats, these examples illustrate different approaches to resource use.

At Goshen Lake, Thailand’s First Christian Estate, we’re building a sanctuary with a church and homes where values like stewardship thrive.

King Rama IX’s Royal Projects

King Rama IX’s initiatives included:

Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: Over 4,000 development centers promoting sustainable farming and rural self-reliance [1].
Chitralada Projects: On-palace grounds experiments in agriculture, fish farming, and dairy that served as national models [2].
Water Management: Royal rainmaking and irrigation systems addressing drought in rural areas [3].

These projects emphasized long-term benefits for communities. Like many nations, Thailand has faced political challenges and instances of corruption over the years.

Explore Thailand’s First Christian Estate at GoshenLake.org.

Western Waste: U.S. Healthcare.gov Website Development

The launch of Healthcare.gov in 2013 involved costs exceeding $1 billion, with technical issues requiring additional spending for fixes [4][5]. Reports noted contractor involvement and taxpayer funding.

Australia’s $96 Million Weather App Blowout

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology app and website project reached $96 million, drawing commentary on its scale for the functionality provided [6]. Discussions on X reflected public views:

Jim Thomson noted "Labor Fail $96 Million Wasted" [7].
Fred Pawle described it as a budget blowout [8].
My Hidden Value questioned the value [9].

Australia’s $96 million weather app waste — a symbol of Western misuse.

Join Thailand’s First Christian Estate at GoshenLake.org/about.

Observations on Resource Use

King Rama IX’s projects emphasized community empowerment and sustainability. Western cases show varying outcomes in public fund allocation. Thailand continues traditions of royal initiatives amid ongoing governance issues. At Goshen Lake, Thailand’s First Christian Estate, a community with a church and homes, reflects values of stewardship.

Final Thoughts

Examples of resource use in Thailand and the West offer points for reflection. Goshen Lake, Thailand’s First Christian Estate, provides a sanctuary in this context.

Early Bird Deal Ends 2025 — Prices Rise 3-5% in 2026. With tourism surging and infrastructure booming, Phang Nga prices are expected to rise 3–5% in 2026.

Secure your plot now.

Connect with Goshen Lake at GoshenLake.org to secure your sanctuary.

References

Royal Thai Government. (2025). "King Rama IX's Royal Projects." Retrieved from https://www.royalthaigovernment.go.th/king-rama-ix-projects.
Bangkok Post. (2024). "Royal Chitralada Projects." Retrieved from https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2843649/royal-chitralada-projects.
UNDP Thailand. (2025). "Royal Rainmaking Project." Retrieved from https://www.undp.org/thailand/royal-rainmaking.
Washington Post. (2013). "HealthCare.gov Launch Cost $1B." Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/obamacare-website-failure-2013.
CBS News. (2014). "Obamacare Website Glitches Cost $1B." Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/obamacare-website-cost.
Sky News Australia. (2025). "BOM App $96M Blowout." Retrieved from https://www.skynews.com.au/bom-app-blowout.
X Post by @jimthom90458694. (2025). Retrieved from https://x.com/jimthom90458694/status/1992842267409981581.
X Post by @fredpawle. (2025). Retrieved from https://x.com/fredpawle/status/1992742531961143551.
X Post by @myhiddenvalue. (2025). Retrieved from https://x.com/myhiddenvalue/status/1994144138275770742.

Be Part of the Mission

Join our mission to promote true sanctuaries at Thailand’s First Christian Estate! Freedom-focused or Christian blogs are invited to share this post or collaborate via guest articles. Contact us at GoshenLake.org or share on X to connect.