Food and Sustainability in Thailand

We got to visit Phetchabun, a remote mountainous province of Thailand. It was a long drive from Bangkok, but we got some remarkable changes in landscapes along the way. From city, to plains, to mountainous roads with many switchbacks. Our most adventurous day came when we went up even higher on the

mountain to visit the farms and production sites. We went into a pickup truck bed, and wound our way up even higher. Our ears popped because of the elevation. We got to visit the lettuce production center, which was really just a shop-sized warehouse, and discussed the pros and cons of going organic.

They had a cooperative there, so they could all pool their resources. It was really cool to see examples of farmers coming together to better their industry. Without the cooperative, it would be too dificult for the family run operations to get their product to market, and get money. The whole mountaintop was filled with these small farms alongside their homes on dusty winding roads. One farm had rows and rows of lettuce, waiting for the harvest. They were all different colors and at different growth stages. There was even some baby greens that were in their little compost planter. And of course, we were on a mountain, so we were on steeply sloping ground. They let us take some home, and I enjoyed two whole heads of lettuce on the way back down the mountain. Delicious!

Somehow, the day got even cooler when we made a stop at a Buddist temple. But it wasn’t any ordinary temple, it was 5 Buddhas, all sitting together like Russian nesting dolls. It overlooked the mountain valley below, and I could see why they put such a beautiful monument here. There was another temple like area, that reminded me of Gaudi, the Catalan architect who used cracked pottery in his works. The whole place was whimsical and very beautiful. It was a great day, academically and culturally.

In Kanchanburi, we had the opportunity to see a wide range of of food production. One of the most interesting was a visit to a vegetable processing plant. It was River Kwai, and they had everything from baby corn, to canned corn! It was quite interesting getting to try the canned corn in Thailand, because I always think of it as a flavor from home. I live in an area surrounded by cornfields, and each summer I watch as they grow taller and taller. We have a lot of fresh corn in the summer, and canned in the winter. This tasted exactly like it. It was also hard to believe they were sending these products, from a rural part of Thailand 5 miles from the Myanmar border, to markets all the way in Britain. I am very suspicious now about their sustainability.

We also had the chance to make our own food while we were at MUKA! We got a rice noodle making demonstration. It was much more complex than making pasta, and it was all because of the level of gluten. Rice doesn’t have much compared to wheat. So, we made a slurry and spread it on a pan. We then went to a steamer, and let it set. When it came out, it was solid! Then, it went into the cooler so we could work with it. Mine never came out that perfect, so when we used the pasta machines, I had to do some adjustments. Then, it came out and we added it to a noodle soup. I was pretty impressed that we  made the noodles successfully. If I had a big steamer at home, I would actually do it at time.

We also got to visit a melon farm! The farmer quit his previous job, and decided to use organic farming methods to grow melons for the Japanese market. He took us to his covered greenhouse rows, and we got to see the young melons. At the front, they even sold melon slushies! We definitely got a good taste.

For a cultural activity, our hosts took us to a traditional village. We got the traditional outfits, and got to walk all over. They had different structures of a typical village, and farms, gardens, houses, and docks. It was beautiful and very fun to explore. At the end of the night, we got an amazing dinner-dance experience. I felt the most in Thailand feeling I had experienced over the whole trip. It was beautiful.

Traditional Thai village

Three flights later, I’ve finally made it back home and as expected, I miss the warm weather! I assume it will take me a few days to adjust to the time change again but that is the price you pay for long distance travels! My experience in Thailand is one that will stay with my forever and I am extremely grateful for having the opportunity to be in the program. Aside from the thrill of traveling to Asia for the first time, the amazing Thai food, and the wonderful climate, I am honored to have gotten to experience authentic Thai culture on several different fronts. I truly enjoyed learning about their way of life, and how it differs from my own, with the guidance of professor Mathews and Mahidol University who were extremely helpful and welcoming.

 

I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in going abroad as it is informative, pushes you to think of the reality of our food systems and food safety, and provides a multitude of opportunities to experience Thai lifestyle. Also, because this country is an extremely popular tourist destination, it is interesting to watch it evolve and become more modern which is clearly happening very rapidly. All student should be encouraged to study abroad as it lets you see the world and broaden your perspective in a multitude of ways. Thank you Rutgers!

Today is our second to last day here in Thailand and I am extremely sad to have to be leaving the warm climate, the delicious food, and Mahidol university. Two days ago we spent our last night in Uncle Tom’s Cabin and spent the day doing many hands-on activities. In the early morning we were taught by a handful of locals how to prepare seedings for planting, how to make soil mixtures, and also go an opportunity to plant a garden. This means we were getting a good work out tilling a plot of land by hand while planting seedlings ourselves. After this we were also shown how to make a mud hut out of mud blocks that we got to make by hand, or should I say foot. In order to make these bricks we had to stomp on a mixture of dirt, water, and rice husks to get a concoction we would then form into bricks and let dry. All of these activities were great learning experiences because it showed us sustainable practices and gave us a real feel of everyday activities done by the local community here in Thailand. We ended our day by visiting a wind farm that generates 20% of the provinces electricity and packed for our eight hour journey back home.

When we returned to our main campus in Salaya, we spent our last two days of the program preparing and presenting our research presentations focused on different aspects of sustainability as well as saying goodbye to out favorite places and friends at Mahidol. Since tomorrow is our last day before we leave to the airport, we will be spending it on the island of Ko sichang to get a taste of Thailand’s beach life. Very exciting!