Agritourism and Green Tourism in Thailand
Thailand is far more than its beaches: explore a country nourished by its rice paddies, fruits, flowers, and an agricultural culture deeply rooted in local traditions.
May 29, 2019
Thailand enjoys a climate, fauna, and flora of remarkable diversity.
It has long been said that those willing to work will never go hungry in Thailand. This praise from a 13th-century king is carved into a stone monument and etched into the memory of schoolchildren: "there is rice in the fields, and fish in the rivers." Even in difficult times like today, the country's natural wealth sustains hope and provides livelihoods for its people.
Given its position in Southeast Asia, Thailand stretches over 1,600 kilometers—its climate, fauna, and flora are characterized by exceptional diversity. Tropical and subtropical plants flourish here, along with temperate-region species, grown for domestic consumption and export. Rice has always been the most important crop, but since the 1950s Thai farmers have also turned to commercially valuable harvests such as rubber, cassava, corn, soybeans, tobacco, sugarcane, and pineapples. The country ranks among the world's leading producers of foodstuffs and has gained recognition as a flower producer as well. While the orchid may be synonymous with Thailand, cut flowers—from anthuriums to roses to lilies—are studied and cultivated for commercial purposes. (The orchid can be considered a symbol of Thailand, but other flowers, from anthuriums to lily-of-the-valley, thrive here too).
It is impossible to discuss agriculture in Thailand without mentioning the royal projects. The first was launched in the early 1970s, aimed at improving living standards for mountain tribes in the North. Fruits and vegetables from temperate regions were introduced as a substitute for poppy cultivation. This project and those that followed achieved remarkable success in eliminating poppy farming and promoting new agricultural methods in the northern provinces: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, and Mae Hong Son. The Royal Projects Foundation operates 4 research centers and 34 development centers that work to support farmers in selecting crops, improving farm management, and helping preserve the environment.
The Foundation also provides assistance with marketing, packaging, and processing of products bearing the brand name Doi Kham, available in supermarkets and at the Farm Market near Chatuchak Park in Bangkok. Traditional farm life varies by region. The central plains are known as the country's rice bowl, but rice cultivation is widespread throughout. Some tasks have been mechanized, but manual labor remains extensively used, from planting through harvest. Fascinating rituals surround each stage, and harvest season is the best time to pause and watch farmers at work, particularly in villages where traditional methods are still practiced. It is possible to visit rice paddies during harvest time, and at certain establishments such as Maejo University in Chiang Mai, you can try your hand at planting or harvesting in demonstration fields. Orchards and salt marshes stretch across the provinces bordering both coasts of the Gulf of Thailand. The eastern provinces—Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, and Trat—receive the southwest monsoon, making them greener and more humid than the rest of the country. They produce rambutans, mangosteens, and some of the world's finest durians, for local and export markets. The southwestern provinces near Bangkok also produce fruit. Ratchaburi is as celebrated for its grapes as Phetchaburi is for its pink apples. Prachuap is known for its pineapples, while Samut Songkhram is renowned for its lychees. In these provinces, you'll also find the small-scale industries created to absorb surplus production. A visit to these fascinating little factories offers the chance to taste their products and take home some of the best local specialties.
In Thailand, agritourism and green tourism cannot be separated, as rural life continues to follow ancestral traditions and customs.
Agritourism in Thailand shares broad common ground with ecology and cultural tourism; countryside life unfolds according to traditional customs and ways. The Department for Agricultural Expansion offers farm visits and village stays. Some of these destinations make pleasant stops after a long journey, offering opportunities to visit, learn, and shop all at once.
