Nonthaburi's famous durian orchards
By Jon Fernquest |
Can you imagine paying 7,000 baht for one fruit?
Fruit is cheap and plentiful in Thailand.
The kan yao durian, however, is a rare and expensive delicacy and is also a popular gift to give to one's boss or boss' wife here in Thailand.
Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, produces this most famous of all durians.
Famous among Asian gourmets, that is, since most Westerners (Europe, US, Australia, New Zealand) avoid eating durian because of the fruit's strong smell.
Most of the durians found for sale in Thailand come from large plantations in Rayong and Chanthaburi.
Nowadays, Nonthaburi only has a few rai of durian orchards on the side of canals in tambons Bang Rak Noy, Sai Ma, and Bang Krang.
Floods in 1985 destroyed many of Nonthaburi's durian orchards.
Housing estates and condominiums ate up more of Nonthaburi's durian growing land as Bangkok expanded over the years.
Luckily, the expensive kan yao durian is not the only delicious durian that Nonthaburi produces.
Nonthaburi's annual Durian Fair is being held at Wat Yai Sawang Arom in Pak Kret district from May 11 to 19.
Several less expensive varieties of the fruit will be available at the fair.
Mon thaong (golden pillow) can be purchased for 2,000 baht and even cheaper varieties include: kradum, ruang, thong yoy, chat thong, kob tatao, and kob takham.
Vocabulary:
plentiful -
exists in large amounts มีมากมาย
rare - not common, difficult to find หาได้ยาก
delicacy - a rare and expensive food that people enjoy eating อาหารราคาแพง
a gourmet - a person who knows a lot about find food and enjoys eating นักชิมอาหาร
Westerners - people from Europe, the US, Australia, and New Zealand ชาวตะวันตก
plantations - very large farms with many labourers, usually growing
crops such as rubber, sugar, coffee สวน ไร่
orchards - small fruit farms สวนผลไม้
a housing estate, a housing development - an area with a large number of
houses built next to each at the same time and connected by roads โครงการบ้านจัดสรร
expanded - became larger ขยายตัวออกไป
varieties - many different kinds of things หลายรูปแบบ
