Rice-farming traditions preserved in Pattaya-Nong Plalai paddy fields

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Nong Plalai residents show the younger generation how to farm rice during the 11th “Rice Planting on Mother’s Day, Harvesting on Father’s Day” event Dec. 22 at the Farmer’s Way of Life & Community Wisdom Center in Nong Plalai.

Nong Plalai residents this month harvested rice planted in August to preserve the area’s agricultural history.

Ampai Sakdanukuljit Sliwinski, head of the Chonburi Tourism and Sports Department, opened the 11th “Rice Planting on Mother’s Day, Harvesting on Father’s Day” event Dec. 22 at the Farmer’s Way of Life & Community Wisdom Center in Nong Plalai.



The annual event, which saw residents plant rice on Aug. 12, finished a couple of weeks after the Dec. 5 Father’s Day, but still aimed at showing Nong Plalai’s younger generation how to farm rice and make Thai-style sweets.

This learning center welcomed everyone interested in an agricultural career to grow rice, learn local culture and Thai traditions to preserve the community’s roots.


Ampai noted that only 100 rai of land in Nong Plalai is still used to grow rice, so it’s important to keep the tradition alive and pass knowledge on to younger generations.

Ampai Sakdanukuljit Sliwinski, head of the Chonburi Tourism and Sports Department, extols upon the wisdom of keeping alive the traditional ways to harvest rice.



Local monks were brought in to bless the event.



Some of the local men show how rice was brought in from the fields in the old days.