Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in Fang (Chiang Mai)
One of the special projects, which was carried out at the initiative of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, concerns the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in Fang in the province of Chiang Mai.
The mountainous area around this small town in northern Thailand is 1400 meters above sea level and the fields were once covered with poppy. The local hill tribes earned a meager income from this raw material for opium. That changed in 1969 when His Majesty the King devoted personal resources to establishing the Royal Agricultural Station Angkhang in order to create alternative sources of income for the villagers through the cultivation of fruits such as peaches, Chinese pears, kiwis and strawberries.
Today, the area, which includes 9 small villages, of this agricultural enterprise is home to several hill tribes such as Thai Yai, Lahu, Palong and Yunnan, many of whom are farmers.
In a recent interview in The Nation, Mayurin Yodsriwan, coordinator of the Angkhang Station, says: “This was the first royal farm in Thailand. Here we focus on the research of the cultivation of fruits and plants and are now able to produce more than 300 varieties. We train the local population with new agricultural techniques. Our training center is also open to farmers from all over the country. The Royal Forest Department donated the arable plots and each family received a rai of land to cultivate and grow strawberries and cabbages. We buy all agricultural products and the proceeds, after deducting costs, go to the villagers.”
The farm is open to tourists, who can learn about the farm. There are guided tours for visitors to take a look at the bonsai garden, the bamboo forest, the flower gardens, the plum orchards and a vegetable garden. A drink is provided in the coffee shop and of course there is a shop where you can buy souvenirs and local products such as dried fruit, fruit juices, jams and local crafts.
For more information, location and directions, please visit: www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/The-Royal-Agricultural-Station-Angkhang–4030
Video
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpKdMqqRq80[/embedyt]
About this blogger
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Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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From a recent review by a gentleman from Bangkok on TripAdvisor:
I have been to Keukenhoff in Netherland and I seriously think that Doi Angkhang Royal Agricultural Station is as pretty as Keukenhoff. It's a vast garden with many different beautiful flowers, manicure lawn, organic vegetables and champion seed.
Personally I can't judge it, because I've never been to the, er, Keukenhof...
They also grow KALE
Very nice, but how do I get kale here in Pattaya ; who knows the way? thanksz
True, I have also seen kale somewhere in the north of Thailand at a royal project. I also spent the night there was very nice.