Good physical health is a factor supporting economic progress and social security of the country because it leads to good mental health. Physical and mental fitness enable the individual to effectively serve the nation while refraining from imposing burdens on the nation. During the initial Royal visits to the rural areas, His Majesty the King found that the populace were largely deprived of adequate health care services. His Majesty then initiated the Royal Medical Team Project in 1967. The objective is to equip the trainees with medical knowledge for assisting the people in their areas.
Trainees come from various agencies both in the civil and military sectors.
The venues for the training are hospitals in the provinces where the palaces are located, including Sakon Nakhon Hospital, Narathiwat Hospital and Kawilla Army Camp Hospital in Chiang Mai Province. The Royal Medical Team Project, which involves treatment by the Royal Medical Team and training of village doctors, helps solve the health problems of the people in the remote areas, where the regular services of the government are intermittent and the local people lack the knowledge to keep themselves healthy. The Royal Medical Team provides the people with an opportunity to be properly taken care of and treated free of charge. With the training of village doctors programme, the people are able to acquire modern knowledge about prevention and cure of symptoms. Moreover, they learn how to contact and co-ordinate with government agencies in the case of a need for treatment beyond their capacity and knowledge.