Can�t be easy growing fruits, vegetables and flowers at a height of 8,498 feet, says an amazed Farzana Contractor, but that exactly what�s going on at Inthanon, the highest mountain of Thailand!
The Inthanon which stands at 8,498 feet above sea level is Thailand�s highest mountain. As my car made it�s way up the hill, turning and twisting, the view kept getting more and more spectacular and the air lighter and more fragrant. After an hour or so of uphill driving we stopped besides a little pond in which black swans appeared to be effortlesssly gliding on the surface, with many gold fish swimming around them in complete harmony, indeed a soothing picture.
I was meeting with Dr. Adisorn Krasaechai, the honorary boss of the Royal Research Station at Inthanon, one of the 37 odd Royal Projects that have made a huge difference to the lives of the Thais, particularly the hill region tribals.
Even as I emerged from the small auditorium at the Centre, I was impressed. In just a few minutes, through a series of video clippings and short commentary, the nuances of the project were explained to me. I could so easily understand why H. M. the King was so respected and revered in Thailand. These are projects initiated by Him and thrive under his guidance.
Dr. Krasaechai is a professor of horticulture at the Chiang Mai University. He is in charge of this whole place, the research centre, the hot houses, the shows and exhibitions that they organise and above all the training programmes that teach farmers and tribesmen how to go about implementing the plans, which help make life changes for their betterment.
There are different heads for the different departments and none of them work on salary. Just love, respect and gratitude for their King.
It is the King himself who while visiting this region many decades ago saw that poppy was grown very extensively as cash crop and the whole illegal trade of opium was not only destroying the land, depleting the soil, but also ruining many lives. The hill tribes were completely neglected, their standard of living was really low, they made some money but the middle men took most of it away. So the King went to an older relative, Prince Bhisatej Rajani who is now 85 years old, and with his advise initiated a project in 1969 with clear cut objectives. Towards humanitarianism, to stop opium cultivation, to protect forests and watersheds, to conserve soil, and produce cash crops that would benefit the Thai economy.
At first what the hill tribes grew were just low quality peaches. Then with the King�s support and the involvement of countries like USA and Taiwan and research into highland growing the local inhabitants succeeded in growing superior quality products.
Today the produce that comes from this area bears the stamp of �Doi Kam� and is most sought after. The vegetables that are grown here are so many in number, it will fill an entire note book of school kid. You name it and they grow it. Cucumber, cabbage, courgette, cauliflower, pumpkin, gourd, turnip, broccoli, artichoke, brussels sprout, corn, bamboo shoot, carrot, celery, asparagus, eggplant, rhubarb, bell pepper, corn, beans, every kind of salad leaves and herbs. In addition there are fruits, cut leaves, cut flowers, potted plants, cacti AND rainbow trouts. Yes, they have many large concrete tanks in which they raise thousands of trouts too. The cool climate suits such an endeavour perfectly. The production of trout raising is a staggering figure of 15 to 20 tonnes per year.
The Inthanon is a remarkable place and anyone aspiring to be a farmer must make a visit here for knowledge, and inspiration.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY FARZANA CONTRACTOR