Drought-affected Thai farmers urged to try new plants

[webfact]

Drought-affected farmers urged to try new plants
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- AS THE severe drought continues to ravage many parts of Thailand and rice fields wither from the water shortage, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday encouraged people to grow herbs such as mucuna pruriens instead of rice.

During a speech given to visiting young people at Government House yesterday, Prayut said mucuna pruriens could be sold at Bt800 per kilogram. He claimed that, if sent to India where it was processed into medicines and other products, the value of mucuna pruriens could reach Bt80,000 per kilogram.

"Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" he said, adding that he had instructed the Public Health Ministry to study what herbs to promote and in which the private sector could be invited to jointly invest.

In the Northeast, farmers reportedly smuggled water out of Lamtakong Reservoir, causing a shortage of water, which was supposed to have been delivered all the way to Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang district. Lamtakong Reservoir's Makham Thao sluice gate in Ban Mai sub-district yesterday was drying up and visibly shallow. It has affected the sub-district's availability of tap water for residents in the past four days. The reservoir currently released up to 430,000 cubic metres a day, but upstream farmers in Sikhiu, Sung Noen and Kham Thale Sor districts reportedly smuggled water to nourish farmlands.

Ban Mai Municipality discussed with the reservoir's executives and Irrigation Office 8 the possibility of moving water pumps to Ban Deu check dam in Tambon Khok Kruat to push water down to the Makham Thao sluice gate. A connecting canal has been dredged to boost containment capacity to 100,000 cubic metres.

Meanwhile, Council of Engineers deputy chief Amorn Pimanmas led a team to inspect the road collapse by Klong Rapeepat in Saraburi's Nong Khae district and a road subsidence in Ayutthaya's Lat Bua Luang district. They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging.

They suggested the Department of Rural Roads and the Royal Irrigation Department determine a slope stability and a safe ratio to be reviewed annually as figures could change so they could retain the canal level accordingly.

They also urged for good water management and warned canal-side homes of more subsidence which could worsen due to drought or flood problems.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Drought-affected-farmers-urged-to-try-new-plants-30264059.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-09

[ezzra]

Ever heard about planning ahead? Plan B? or just preemptive plans? No?

waiting until the water dams, rivers and reservoirs are all bone dry to come up

with the 'urgent idea ' to try something new... too little to late, horses have bolted,

fat lady sung and went home already..... but not to worry uncle Prayut will loan

money to the poor farmers at cheap rate,,, there's a Thai solution,

[Toknarok]

Here's the link for mucuna https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucuna_pruriens

[rametindallas]

One of my clients is taking mucuna pruriens and it has completely stopped her Parkinson's Disease tremors and rigidity. The powered pods are much cheaper than the pharmaceutical industry's treatment and it can be grown just about anywhere in Thailand. It will also be a growing market for decades as world populations age and more people suffer from Parkinson's Disease. I'm sure, with Thailand's all-year-'round growing season, there many different medicinal plants that can be grown. If you are in Bangkok, you can visit the wholesale herb market on the Bangkok side of National and Pra Pokklao Bridges on Chakkrawat Road just past Wat Chakkrawat. This is a well-established market and is a ready to receive all the herbs the former rice farmers can grow. I used to buy phytostroegen, Pueraria mirifica, there for my menopause clients (it stops hot flashes in minutes). Thailand is already well-know for its quality herbs.

.

Edited July 9, 2015 by rametindallas

[LennyW]

Thick as s&%t, "Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" Because people have to eat! and if you did not grow it then you would have no rice for export or to feed the domestic population.

"They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging" They conveniently forgot the root cause of this one - piss poor road construction in the first place!

[rametindallas]

Thick as s&%t, "Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" Because people have to eat! and if you did not grow it then you would have no rice for export or to feed the domestic population.

"They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging" They conveniently forgot the root cause of this one - piss poor road construction in the first place!

The government is sitting on several years' supply of rice. The rains will surely come back in abundance in plenty of time for new rice to be harvested before government stockpiles are even half sold. How ridiculous of you to say Thailand is in any danger of running out of rice/something to eat!.

"Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?

You never did address PM Prayut's question of 'why they are attempting to grow rice when, because of the drought, it is impossible to grow rice and so little profit in it if they could?'. Until the water is available to grow rice, the PM is suggesting the farmers grow something that is possible and more profitable. You seem to have a problem with rice farmers growing something other than rice rice; even if they can't. Do you want them to go broke waiting for enough rain to grow rice? That may not be until the El Nino fades sometime in the middle of 2016.

As for shoddy construction of the roads, were they falling apart at this rate before the drought? No. Haven't you noticed all the roads that are falling apart are next to irrigation canals that, when full, push against the banks with water pressure? Now there is no water pressure holding the banks, the land is affected by gravity. Shoddy construction is the norm but it is not the root cause of this outbreak of highway failure. Point fingers, much?

So, Lenny, I hate to have to spell it out for you but I think you're the one "thick as s&%t."

.

[NongKhaiKid]

The BP website reports the PM supposedly told ' ignorant ' farmers to diversify into crops such as herbs that could cure male impotency.

Apart from his own supposed ' ignorant ' language i can't see much of a market for these crops here, imagine the average Thai macho man, complete with gun, admitting he's impotent.

[NeverSure]

As for shoddy construction of the roads, were they falling apart at this rate before the drought? No. Haven't you noticed all the roads that are falling apart are next to irrigation canals that, when full, push against the banks with water pressure? Now there is no water pressure holding the banks, the land is affected by gravity. Shoddy construction is the norm but it is not the root cause of this outbreak of highway failure. Point fingers, much?

You are right about the level of water in the canals, but not about the result. The problem is the drying of the soil, not pressure against it.

The soil is clay. Clay is expansive in that it shrinks when dry and expands when wet. A lot. That's why we see big cracks in the ground when it's dry.

If the soil shrinks it pulls back, pulling cracks into the road just as it does on regular ground. That is deep soil allowing a lot of shrinking.

It is shoddy construction for the area. Some of that soil must be removed and the rest disturbed and then compacted when at only about 10% optimum moisture. Then a geotextile barrier fabric must be put onto the soil and covered with crushed rock. The rock is rolled which partly crushes it causing it all to lock together and form the equivalent of a "rock snowshoe".

Drainage must be engineered in so that moisture levels aren't so extreme. Now the proper road base and road can sit there and float on the base forever without breaking. The whole thing is locked together and protected from excess moisture.

This isn't done in Thailand even if the budget for the road called for it, ahem.

Cheers

[Manbing]

Someone should signpost those broken roads to ensure no-one drives on them.

Come on, you know they will, and then they are going to say, 'but there was no signs?'

[fred Kubasa]

As usual, " Closing the barn door AFTER the animals have fled " !

[rametindallas]

As for shoddy construction of the roads, were they falling apart at this rate before the drought? No. Haven't you noticed all the roads that are falling apart are next to irrigation canals that, when full, push against the banks with water pressure? Now there is no water pressure holding the banks, the land is affected by gravity. Shoddy construction is the norm but it is not the root cause of this outbreak of highway failure. Point fingers, much?

You are right about the level of water in the canals, but not about the result. The problem is the drying of the soil, not pressure against it.

The soil is clay. Clay is expansive in that it shrinks when dry and expands when wet. A lot. That's why we see big cracks in the ground when it's dry.

If the soil shrinks it pulls back, pulling cracks into the road just as it does on regular ground. That is deep soil allowing a lot of shrinking.

It is shoddy construction for the area. Some of that soil must be removed and the rest disturbed and then compacted when at only about 10% optimum moisture. Then a geotextile barrier fabric must be put onto the soil and covered with crushed rock. The rock is rolled which partly crushes it causing it all to lock together and form the equivalent of a "rock snowshoe".

Drainage must be engineered in so that moisture levels aren't so extreme. Now the proper road base and road can sit there and float on the base forever without breaking. The whole thing is locked together and protected from excess moisture.

This isn't done in Thailand even if the budget for the road called for it, ahem.

Cheers

TYP.jpg

In my early twenties I used to build houses in rural SE Louisiana. The soil is spongy and will not support much weight; it turns to mud when it rains. The highways in that part of Louisiana are worse than the wavy highways in Thailand. When we build a house, first we have to build a road with about a meter thick layer of red clay, that, after a few rains, packs into solid mass that actually floats on the soft soil beneath it. We can then bring in heavy dump truck loads of more red clay for the foundation of the house. This take weeks to do properly. I don't know what the clay is like in the areas where the roads are falling apart but packed red clay is amazing in its ability to adhere to itself and to 'float' on top of soft soil beneath. Highways in SE Louisiana don't use crushed rocks (we don't have any in SE Louisiana) in their construction; it would just sink into the spongy soil below, but they do cut large drainage ditches on either side to keep the water away. Dry soil is more supportive than wet soil.

I've seen 'cracked' earth, from drying out, in the clay soils of Texas and Oklahoma and it is not so drastic as the photo in the OP. Also, from what I have read, these huge collapses are only happening near canals whereas the drought is everywhere. Notice, in the photo in the OP, how the guard rail has migrated towards the canal and the cracks are only where there was a heavy load on the highway and only go in one direction, parallel to the canal. All the slides are towards the empty canal. Are roads that are not near canals collapsing too?

Since there are no cracks any distance away from the highway, I'm guessing that they built the highway too close to the canal. Of course, I'm no engineer, I just play one on TVF.

p.s. I notice in the phot you posted that the geotextile is laid over what looks like red clay and not rotting black soil.

.

Edited July 9, 2015 by rametindallas

[Somtamnication]

I was gonna say pot, but I hear it takes a lot of water.

[LennyW]

Thick as s&%t, "Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" Because people have to eat! and if you did not grow it then you would have no rice for export or to feed the domestic population.

"They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging" They conveniently forgot the root cause of this one - piss poor road construction in the first place!

The government is sitting on several years' supply of rice. The rains will surely come back in abundance in plenty of time for new rice to be harvested before government stockpiles are even half sold. How ridiculous of you to say Thailand is in any danger of running out of rice/something to eat!.

"Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?

You never did address PM Prayut's question of 'why they are attempting to grow rice when, because of the drought, it is impossible to grow rice and so little profit in it if they could?'. Until the water is available to grow rice, the PM is suggesting the farmers grow something that is possible and more profitable. You seem to have a problem with rice farmers growing something other than rice rice; even if they can't. Do you want them to go broke waiting for enough rain to grow rice? That may not be until the El Nino fades sometime in the middle of 2016.

As for shoddy construction of the roads, were they falling apart at this rate before the drought? No. Haven't you noticed all the roads that are falling apart are next to irrigation canals that, when full, push against the banks with water pressure? Now there is no water pressure holding the banks, the land is affected by gravity. Shoddy construction is the norm but it is not the root cause of this outbreak of highway failure. Point fingers, much?

So, Lenny, I hate to have to spell it out for you but I think you're the one "thick as s&%t."

.

You've missed the point completely, if the water supplies were adequately managed then there would be no need for this knee jerk reaction.

"The rains will surely come" or "might not be until the middle of 2016" makes little difference if and when it comes if it is not managed properly.

As for your comment on the roads, how ridiculous is that... Dont you think that by running roads next to canals that some extra engineering should have been carried out initially to avoid collapse in the event that the rains "might not be until the middle of 2016" as you suggest, the roads should have been engineered for worst case scenario - not "they will be okay as long as there is water in the canal" ! Of course shoddy construction is the root cause, the lack of water is only a contributing factor which could have been engineered to overcome at the outset.

I wont stoop to your level and comment about what i think of you.

[PepperMe]

Erm...... Because Mr Chan Ocha.

If anyone grows expensive crops, they would be stolen before they even reach maturity.

This is Thailand, anything worth money that is not nailed down or guarded by armed guards will disappear. Many poor people see it as their right to help themselves.

Ask your local teak grower.

[rametindallas]

The BP website reports the PM supposedly told ' ignorant ' farmers to diversify into crops such as herbs that could cure male impotency.

Apart from his own supposed ' ignorant ' language i can't see much of a market for these crops here, imagine the average Thai macho man, complete with gun, admitting he's impotent.

I wouldn't call the farmers. who try to grow rice in a drought when they've been repeatedly warned that there is not irrigation water for them, ignorant. I would call them dumb-asses. Ignorance would imply they hadn't been (repeatedly) warned. Som num na.

Ask your older Thai male friends if they are familiar with 'black ginger' for male potency (many pharmacies carry it and it usually comes in a solution of whiskey in a bottle) two shots does the trick. Many Thai men have multiple wives, GFs, etc. and need all he help they can get because they want to prove their manhood to them all. Remember the secretly recorded conversation in Hong Kong between Thaksin and Yingluck's Deputy Defense Minister, Yuthasak? The first thing Thaksin asked him was, 'Can you still get it up?' and Yuthasak's reply was he used a bacteria grown on the back of a caterpillar and had no problems in that department. I have an acquaintance, a Police Colonel, who has a resort on the Little Kwai River and he grows flowers that are exported to fancy hotels around the world. When he was giving me a tour of his operations, he showed me six different herbs for male potency and two for women's fertility.

Thailand has a rich and diverse heritage of traditional medicine. Every rural hospitals in the NE that I have visited has a traditional medicine department that uses only 'natural' drugs. People in the US are more and more coming to realize that herbal treatments may take a little longer to work but they have fewer side-effects; potency herbs are only a small part of the market. Western countries will be Thailand's market. Herbs are definitely a growing industry and Thailand is well situated to take advantage of it. Bt. 800 for a kilo of unprocessed mucuna pruriens is good money for little work. Processed into a usable medicine it is worth a whole lot more. Rice, even if you could grow it, doesn't leave much profit.

.

[Yunla]

The sheer severity of this year's drought might be the long overdue shot-in-the-arm required to startle the authorities into action. I can only pray that this extreme situation in 2015 will spur them to take water-management very seriously in the future, to establish rigorous water controls on the user-side, and as other posters have said (far better than I could say) to take seriously the economic potential of switching to less water-intensive crops.

[Toknarok]

Trouble is Ramatin. that when somebody in this Country has an idea and starts to make money from it then everybody jumps onto the band wagon, and copies it. Growing herbs for medcines is a good idea but if everyone started it then there would be a glut and prices would plummet. Rubber, sugar and cassava are examples of this.

[Pimay1]

Erm...... Because Mr Chan Ocha.

If anyone grows expensive crops, they would be stolen before they even reach maturity.

This is Thailand, anything worth money that is not nailed down or guarded by armed guards will disappear. Many poor people see it as their right to help themselves.

Ask your local teak grower.

It doesn't have to be expensive crops to be stolen. I like to fish so I had a pond dug on the gf's farm, 20m x20m x5m. Stocked it with a few hundred catfish. I would catch four or five fish a week. Two months later the fish stopped biting. Being suspicious of theft and I had the pond drained and there were five fish left. People came at night with their nets and stole the fish. That's the reason I now grow watermelons and cantaloup in the front yard.

[rametindallas]

Thick as s&%t, "Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" Because people have to eat! and if you did not grow it then you would have no rice for export or to feed the domestic population.

"They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging" They conveniently forgot the root cause of this one - piss poor road construction in the first place!

The government is sitting on several years' supply of rice. The rains will surely come back in abundance in plenty of time for new rice to be harvested before government stockpiles are even half sold. How ridiculous of you to say Thailand is in any danger of running out of rice/something to eat!.

"Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?

You never did address PM Prayut's question of 'why they are attempting to grow rice when, because of the drought, it is impossible to grow rice and so little profit in it if they could?'. Until the water is available to grow rice, the PM is suggesting the farmers grow something that is possible and more profitable. You seem to have a problem with rice farmers growing something other than rice rice; even if they can't. Do you want them to go broke waiting for enough rain to grow rice? That may not be until the El Nino fades sometime in the middle of 2016.

As for shoddy construction of the roads, were they falling apart at this rate before the drought? No. Haven't you noticed all the roads that are falling apart are next to irrigation canals that, when full, push against the banks with water pressure? Now there is no water pressure holding the banks, the land is affected by gravity. Shoddy construction is the norm but it is not the root cause of this outbreak of highway failure. Point fingers, much?

So, Lenny, I hate to have to spell it out for you but I think you're the one "thick as s&%t."

.

You've missed the point completely, if the water supplies were adequately managed then there would be no need for this knee jerk reaction.

"The rains will surely come" or "might not be until the middle of 2016" makes little difference if and when it comes if it is not managed properly.

As for your comment on the roads, how ridiculous is that... Dont you think that by running roads next to canals that some extra engineering should have been carried out initially to avoid collapse in the event that the rains "might not be until the middle of 2016" as you suggest, the roads should have been engineered for worst case scenario - not "they will be okay as long as there is water in the canal" ! Of course shoddy construction is the root cause, the lack of water is only a contributing factor which could have been engineered to overcome at the outset.

I wont stoop to your level and comment about what i think of you.

I wont stoop to your level and comment about what i think of you

You must think more highly of me than you do the PM, then, as your first words were to call him thick as s&% t. I'm protective of the PM because I think he is changing Thailand to be a better place for everyone.

Did you really think that back when that road was constructed that the road builders would plan for the worst drought in thirty years? This is Thailand; they don't plan for tomorrow. The just do today what they did yesterday. They should have built the highway farther away from the canal but that would cost more (land acquisition) and anger landowners along the route; some of them possibly influential. They would rather build the kind of road they always build and try not to ruffle too many feathers. Have you any idea how much extra everything would cost if engineered to 'worst case scenario'? It is much cheaper to repair the damage than than to build it for conditions that may never arise. The government doesn't need to be wasting taxpayer's money building to 'worst case scenario'. Just my opinion.

.

[toybits]

The plant is like poison Ivy.

From Wikipedia: The hairs lining the seed pods and the small spicules on the leaves contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) which cause severe itching (pruritus) when touched.^[12][13] The calyx below the flowers is also a source of itchy spicules and the stinging hairs on the outside of the seed pods are used in itching powder.^[14] Water should not be used if contact occurs, as it only dilutes the chemical. Also, one should avoid scratching the exposed area since this causes the hands to transfer the chemical to all other areas touched. Once this happens, one tends to scratch vigorously and uncontrollably and for this reason the local populace in northern Mozambique refer to the beans as the mad beans (feijões malucos). The itching has earned it the name "Devil Beans" in Nigeria.

[soalbundy]

factory plants in Bangkok perhaps

[Mot Dang]

Thick as s&%t, "Why are we still foolishly growing something that yields small profit?" Because people have to eat! and if you did not grow it then you would have no rice for export or to feed the domestic population.

"They said these subsidences resulted from a base failure fuelled by four factors: the soft soil condition; the sharp drop of water level during the drought season or massive water pumping out of the canal; the heavy traffic pressing weight onto the road; and the steeper canal ridges due to water erosion or canal dredging" They conveniently forgot the root cause of this one - piss poor road construction in the first place!

Sometimes I think Mr.P is totally out of touch with reality. I'm sure because he comes from the privileged class he thinks rice is grown in plastic or hessian bags, and all Thais go to a shop to buy it.

My family has a large rice farm in the Buriram panhandle (been in the family for more than 150 years). We need to feed 10 family members each year. 20 years ago we could farm 2 crops, for the past 5 years, no way. Why ? Not enough rain (climate change ?), and poor water management and related civil engineering by the government. If we have a second crop we sell most to the co-op. Now we have little cash flow, and basically are self supporting with growing our own vegetables.

So Mr.P wants us to stop growing rice (something my wife's family has only know for 150 years) and grow something I have never heard of for a cash flow (?) and buy our rice in plastic bags.

Un-bloody-believable.

p.s. when will I see Mr.P and his entourage out in a paddy interviewing first hand those that are fighting everyday to keep their heads above water ? Unfortunately I think I already know the answer.

[connda]

I'm sure that there is plenty of drought resistant GMO plants for sale. I'm sure the GMO companies are itching for an opportunity to get a foot in the door (or a plant in a field). I'm sorry Somchai, but your rice cross-pollinated with out patented rice, and you're now a patent criminal. You need to burn all your rice and pay us damages.

Some world we live in. Most people are too blind to see. It's sort of how I define 'evil'.

Edited July 9, 2015 by connda

[rametindallas]

Trouble is Ramatin. that when somebody in this Country has an idea and starts to make money from it then everybody jumps onto the band wagon, and copies it. Growing herbs for medcines is a good idea but if everyone started it then there would be a glut and prices would plummet. Rubber, sugar and cassava are examples of this.

I was thinking that there is more diversity in the types of herbs, medicinal and food, than all the food crops combined. There will always be herbs that no one, or very few others, is/are growing. Lots and lots of niche markets as opposed to the mono-culture of rice, rubber, cassava, etc..

.

[sawadee1947]

One of my clients is taking mucuna pruriens and it has completely stopped her Parkinson's Disease tremors and rigidity. The powered pods are much cheaper than the pharmaceutical industry's treatment and it can be grown just about anywhere in Thailand. It will also be a growing market for decades as world populations age and more people suffer from Parkinson's Disease. I'm sure, with Thailand's all-year-'round growing season, there many different medicinal plants that can be grown. If you are in Bangkok, you can visit the wholesale herb market on the Bangkok side of National and Pra Pokklao Bridges on Chakkrawat Road just past Wat Chakkrawat. This is a well-established market and is a ready to receive all the herbs the former rice farmers can grow. I used to buy phytostroegen, Pueraria mirifica, there for my menopause clients (it stops hot flashes in minutes). Thailand is already well-know for its quality herbs.

.

unfortuantely the Thai and Chinese herbs, well known in TCM, are highly polluted with pestizides. Every 3rd batch I returned to the whole seller in the past.

So please be carefull. There is no lab in Thailand for testing! But some labs in Netherlands, Germany, where herbal medicine is well established.

[soalbundy]

Trouble is Ramatin. that when somebody in this Country has an idea and starts to make money from it then everybody jumps onto the band wagon, and copies it. Growing herbs for medcines is a good idea but if everyone started it then there would be a glut and prices would plummet. Rubber, sugar and cassava are examples of this.

I was thinking that there is more diversity in the types of herbs, medicinal and food, than all the food crops combined. There will always be herbs that no one, or very few others, is/are growing. Lots and lots of niche markets as opposed to the mono-culture of rice, rubber, cassava, etc..

.

so who is the customer buying in bulk ? No good growing something without the marketing maybe Prayut will see to that.....or not

[rametindallas]

Trouble is Ramatin. that when somebody in this Country has an idea and starts to make money from it then everybody jumps onto the band wagon, and copies it. Growing herbs for medcines is a good idea but if everyone started it then there would be a glut and prices would plummet. Rubber, sugar and cassava are examples of this.

I was thinking that there is more diversity in the types of herbs, medicinal and food, than all the food crops combined. There will always be herbs that no one, or very few others, is/are growing. Lots and lots of niche markets as opposed to the mono-culture of rice, rubber, cassava, etc..

.

so who is the customer buying in bulk ? No good growing something without the marketing maybe Prayut will see to that.....or not

There is a fairly large wholesale market on Chakkrawat Road near National Bridge. Foreign buyers go there to secure regular shipments. There are several departments in every government that promote export products/produce. Are you one of those people who see only problems which prevents them from seeing answers?

.

[soalbundy]

Trouble is Ramatin. that when somebody in this Country has an idea and starts to make money from it then everybody jumps onto the band wagon, and copies it. Growing herbs for medcines is a good idea but if everyone started it then there would be a glut and prices would plummet. Rubber, sugar and cassava are examples of this.

I was thinking that there is more diversity in the types of herbs, medicinal and food, than all the food crops combined. There will always be herbs that no one, or very few others, is/are growing. Lots and lots of niche markets as opposed to the mono-culture of rice, rubber, cassava, etc..

.

so who is the customer buying in bulk ? No good growing something without the marketing maybe Prayut will see to that.....or not

There is a fairly large wholesale market on Chakkrawat Road near National Bridge. Foreign buyers go there to secure regular shipments. There are several departments in every government that promote export products/produce. Are you one of those people who see only problems which prevents them from seeing answers?

.

No, but when i mentioned this to the wife who owns over 200 rai of land her answer was ,''so who would buy the produce'' if the marketing mechanism is unknown to the farmer no one is going to change crops. I mentioned your post to her,she doesn't know about the wholesale market nor does she know about the government departments, perhaps the state should start there,making market opportunities known first before simply saying ''change crops'' these farmers know rice, they have been planting and selling it all their lives they know their customers. they are unaware of the world outside of rice.

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts about the US removed, please do not hijack the topic which is about:

Drought-affected Thai farmers urged to try new plants

[Lupatria]

Erm...... Because Mr Chan Ocha.

If anyone grows expensive crops, they would be stolen before they even reach maturity.

This is Thailand, anything worth money that is not nailed down or guarded by armed guards will disappear. Many poor people see it as their right to help themselves.

Ask your local teak grower.

More than 100 farmers in Phichit's Bung Na Rang District have fallen victim to banana thieves