National Dairy Day in Thailand Date in the current year: January 17, 2024

National Dairy Day commemorates the foundation anniversary of the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand. Its history dates back to King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s state visit to Denmark in 1960. The Thai king showed interest in Danish dairy farming and asked the Danish Agricultural Organization to assist in creating a dairy farm in Thailand.

As a result of cooperation between the two countries, the Thai-Danish Dairy Farm was opened in the Thai province of Saraburi on January 16, 1962. The farm was dedicated by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand and King Frederik IX of Denmark. For over a decade, the farm remained a joint venture between Denmark and Thailand, but in 1971, it was transformed into a state enterprise accountable to the Ministry of Agriculture and renamed the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO).

As of 2018, UHT (ultra-pasteurized) milk products accounted for 95% of DPO’s revenues. In the future, the company plans to put more focus on refrigerated products, including yogurt, ice cream, and pasteurized milk. Its daily production capacity is about 15 tonnes of fresh products. Raw milk for production comes from dairy cooperatives from all over the country (Thailand has over 40 cooperatives that produce about 3,300 tonnes of raw milk per year) and is processed at dairy plants in Saraburi, Sukhothai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Khon Kaen, and Chiang Mai.

Thailand’s per capita consumption of dairy products is approximately 17 liters per year, which is quite low, even compared to other Asian countries such as Japan (31 liters per year, milk only) and India (almost 49 liters per year, milk only). One of DPO’s goals is to increase the per capita consumption to at least 25 liters per year, and National Dairy Day is designed to help achieve this goal by promoting the consumption of milk and dairy products among the population.

National Dairy Day was established by the Thai government to commemorate the foundation of the Thai-Danish Dairy Farm. Although the official opening of the farm took place on January 16, it was decided to observe National Dairy Day on January 17 so that it wouldn’t coincide with Teachers’ Day. Every day, the Ministry of Agriculture, DPO and dairy cooperatives organize special events dedicated to National Dairy Day.