Ratchaphruk Flower Expo

[p1p]

We are close neighbours of the expo, and seem to be likely to be affected by it to quite a large degree. So we decided to spend the weekend exploring what it has to offer.

We live, as the crow flies, well under a kilometre from the front gates of the site, however we have to drive almost ten kilometres to get to a parking place before we can get transport to the entrance. We are not permitted to drive in ourselves. The transport is, however, efficient if not always comfortable and drops passengers no more than a few hundred meters from the entrance.

There are young (students?) tasked to pass out maps of the site to those entering. If you miss them, you might be out of luck, because I saw little in the way of information easily available inside.

Many of the exhibits are stunning, however many are already showing various degrees of wilt. It would definitely have been better on the first day and I recommend checking the timetable of future events to plan your visit, especially if you have to travel some distance. Come in the first few days.

The "Bug House" was a sad disappointment with many dead insects glued to foliage in the "Live" area.

Unfortunately much of what little signage there was, was written in this nonsensical Thai-grish so prevalent around Thailand’s tourist attractions. Why can these people not make the small effort and find a native English editor to check their language. We see it everywhere here and it is so very disappointing.

Overall impressions: It was nice, but . . . . . My wife, a Thai, says she has no wish to return. She stated she could see and learn far more by visiting Kew Gardens in London than the expo has to offer. Whilst I agree with her in that, this is Chiang Mai and, for those with an horticultural interest, the Ratchaphruk Flower Expo is interesting. I will return, (we have multiple entry tickets,) but only when there is nothing better to do! I would not make any special effort if I was not a local.

Now for a rant: As I stated above, we live close to the expo. Our garden has a 3 meter deep fish pond covering about 2,000 square meters, which rises and falls according to the seasons and the level of the water table. The current water level is approximately where we have experienced it at about the end of January and it is visually falling almost daily.

Our domestic artesian pumped water supply, which was clear and sweet for many years until this, is now discoloured a deep brown and frequently heavily silted. We have had to install five new settlement tanks to try to clean it enough to ensure our filters are not totally clogged. Our (dirty) artesian water seems to flow only infrequently now, to the extent that we are severely concerned if we will be able to continue living here throughout the dry season. We have already had close neighbours come to shower with us, and take buckets of water because their own supplies were dry.

My attention was particularly piqued by a quote in today’s Nation: “Former senator Karun Sai-ngam, who spent time talking to the villagers living in communities near the expo, said it demonstrated the classic dichotomy of any development project into those who gain and those who lose.”

It seems, with this prevailing attitude amongst the powers that be, we have no hope. . . . .

Anybody want to buy a house??

[leisurely]

Sorry about your water supply, but thanks for the post. I am considering coming up for the day from Bangkok when my parents arrive. We were thinking early January, but if the exhibits have started to wilt already it would be hard to justify the 30k baht it would cost in airfares etc.

[chanchao]

Excellent report. May I lift it to post on the Loony Planet forum (naming you and linking back here) ?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[mobile69]

From yesterday's BKKPost:

Farmers asked to cut back on off-season crops

Inthorn Thipkhamma, head of a water users group in Chiang Mai's Hang Dong district, tests the volume of water in a stream, which may not be adequate for farms in next year's dry season. — PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

PIYAPORN WONGRUANG and SIRIKUL BUNNAG

Chiang Mai _ The Irrigation Department has asked farmers to cut back on off-season cropping in the forthcoming dry season to ensure water supply for the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek expo.

Boonchoo Rinyana, head of a water users group in tambon Khunpong near the expo, said he was stunned to get the request.

He said the department wants 70% of farm areas, or up to 700 rai, to be free of off-season cropping.

The department did not make it clear why the farmers have to reduce their crop areas, simply saying water would become scarce, said Mr Boonchoo.

He said he was distressed. Farmers need to plant off-season crops or they would have no money to pay off debts, he said.

"We have a lot of water this season so where will the water go?" said Mr Boonchoo.

Villagers in the districts of San Pa Tong as well as Hang Dong where the expo site is located said they suspect mega-projects including the flora expo have sucked up their water.

The villagers have grown rice alternating with seasonal crops such as soybeans and longan, and have for 30 years taken water from the irrigation canal running through their villages, from Mae Tang district, 70 km further north.

They also use water from Huay Mae Ta Chang stream, which has dried up in recent years because of higher water demand.

Water from the stream is also diverted to the 470-rai flora expo through an irrigation station near the project site, the villagers said.

Inthorn Thipkhamma, head of a water users group of tambon Ban Wan, 2km from the site, said farmers living further down have been concerned about a water shortage in the coming dry season.

The farmers experienced a shortage in the early and mid-1990s. They managed to settle their arguments, sometimes by resorting to mob rule, he said.

But Mr Inthorn said the government is now a new stakeholder in water sharing, and much harder to deal with than other water users.

"When they want water, they just take it," he said.

If authorities fail to treat them fairly, the farmers may again apply mob rule, he said.

Cabinet approved the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek expo in mid-2003 with a budget of about two billion baht, which eventually increased to nearly three billion baht.

It was planned for 470 rai of the farm research area of the Department of Agriculture in Hang Dong's tambon Mae Hia.

At a meeting of officials in late 2003, the inadequacy of water in the irrigation canal was raised, and construction of a dam on Huay Mae Hia stream was proposed.

Uthai Noppakoonwong, manager of the expo, and director of the Chiang Mai Royal Agricultural Research Centre, said the expo would take some water from the irrigation canal when water from two adjacent reservoirs was not enough.

He said officials previously planned to construct a dam on Huay Mae Hia stream to restore water for use, but the nearby Chiang Mai Night Safari Zoo had already taken its water.

So the irrigation officials improved the centre's pond, which was capable of storing about 50,000 cu m of water, while developing a new one next to it.

They also created three other water retention ponds on the site to help keep water.

Altogether, these reservoirs could hold about 410,000 cu m of water.

"We should have enough water for use, but if not, we will take it when the villagers do not. By this means, we should not disturb the farmers' cropping," said Mr Uthai.

A landscape designer for the project said the reservoirs were designed to ensure adequate water supply through efficient management.

[Tywais]

A landscape designer for the project said the reservoirs were designed to ensure adequate water supply through efficient management.

And therein lies the crux of the matter.

[meadish_sweetball]

They should not get away with this.

[p1p]

Excellent report. May I lift it to post on the Loony Planet forum (naming you and linking back here) ?

Cheers,

Chanchao

Yes, no problems. You also have my personal email if anybody conmtacts you for further elucidation.

They should not get away with this.

Trouble is, this is Thailand and they will, indeed, "get away with it", and worse.

[p1p]

Sorry about your water supply, but thanks for the post. I am considering coming up for the day from Bangkok when my parents arrive. We were thinking early January, but if the exhibits have started to wilt already it would be hard to justify the 30k baht it would cost in airfares etc.

Don't let my post about the Ratchaphruk Flower Expo put you off visiting Chiang Mai, but don't regard it as the sole, or even most important reason to do so. If you are interested in horticulture, visit the Queen Sirikit Botanic gardens, near Mae Rim on the opposite side of the mountain from the Ratchaphruk Flower Expo. The Sirikit gardens are well worth a visit and we will continue to be walking around there on a regular basis, enjoying the lack of crowds as most will presumably be at Ratchaphruk.

I also find horticulturally inclined visitors from overseas greatly appreciate an afternoon walking around the plant market at Kham Tieng, where there is a growing range of tropical and sub-tropical plants on sale.

Needless to say, Chiang Mai has many more attractions than these and is well worth a visit in any case.

[leisurely]

Thanks for the reply. We've been to CM a couple of times as a family, but my Parents are visitting at Christmas and I thought it could be a good day trip. Would I really think that if we were still in UK. Fly london - edinburgh for the day ? Doubtful. My Mum adores gardens/plants etc and would really enjoy it I think. Maybe I'll leave Grandad at home to sit with the kids. They would hate it I think