The Effects of Food on Thai Cultures: Part Four
by This is the fourth part of a multi part article that looks in depth at the effects food has played in the cultures found in the lands currently known as Thailand. In this part rice and Thailand are discussed. Included is an interview with a rice farmer.
Rice prices have doubled over that last two years and this has caused both national and international problems. As a direct result of these rising prices, countries that rely heavily on rice imports have witnessed civil unrest such as the riots in Egypt and Haiti. In Thailand, farmers are concerned because the millers aren’t passing on these price increases to them.
There are over 5000 varieties of Thai rice held in World Rice Gene Bank, but the two most common varieties that are eaten in Thailand are jasmine rice and glutinous rice.
The king of Thailand has achieved many great things and is very accomplished. As well as being the country’s king, he is a translator, musician, photographer, author, inventor and he is the official patron to the IRRI (international rice research institute).
Interview with a rice farmer
Arun Srimantra, 59, has been a rice farmer for more than forty years and has seen farming change with the times. Arun explained that the rice season starts in March, when the land is fertilized. Up until fifteen years ago, the majority of fertilizer came from buffalo dung, as was the tilling of the land. Now the job of the buffalo has been replaced by expensive chemical fertilizers and speedier plough machines. As a child, Arun recalls that there used to be scores of buffalos working hard from dawn ‘til dusk in the fields but nowadays buffalos are kept merely as status symbols.
Due to his age, Arun is unable to work his own land and so he resorts to employing hired help. The average daily wage for a labourer is approximately 200 Baht, but this rate is by no means fixed. If he decides to farm his land early the price will stay the same but if he farms his land at the same time as the majority of other farmers, the labourer can command a higher daily wage.
Image via Wikipedia
Whilst the land is being ploughed and fertilized, the rice seeds are left to sprout in water. Once roots have sprouted, the rice is then evenly distributed on the field.
The rice is then left to grow for one month and is then pulled up and planted in small bundles. These bundles are then planted in diagonal lines.
The rice is then left to grow until it is harvested in November. During this period the farmer must add more fertilizer and also spray the crop with insecticide to prevent destruction from various insects and crabs. Because Arun lives in an area that is irrigated by rain water, he can only produce one crop per year. In areas that are irrigated by dams, rivers and canal systems, it is possible to harvest a second crop during the dry season. This is known as นาปรัง.
As well as rice, Arun also collects fish and crabs from his field and has allocated a portion of his land to the production of various herbs, cucumbers, sugar cane and sweet corn.
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