At the beginning of the cool season, farmers in Saraburi and Lop Buri know that tourists will soon be coming their way. In recent years, these two provinces have become known for sunflower cultivation. Initially, farmers grew the plant for its seeds from which oil is extracted, but in later years the picturesque vista of blooming flowers stirred tourist imagination and cultivation area expanded enormously.
Factories in Thailand producing canned tuna for export have a ready demand for sunflower oil because it doesn't condense even in sub-zero temperatures. Not long ago it had to be imported, but now it's available in sufficient quantity and quality locally.
Sunflower belts gained Lop Buri instant reputation. The province's proximity to Bangkok saw city residents travel there in hordes on weekends to admire the yellow bloom and other attractions, instead of Hua Hin and Pattaya, their preferred destinations for years.
Sunflower belongs to the Compositae or Asteraceae family. Its scientific name is Helianthus annuus, a Latin term. "Helio" means sun and "anthus" flower.
According to Greek mythology, sunflower denotes water nymph Clytie who fell in love with Apollo, but the latter refused to reciprocate in kind. She sat upon a cold ground and gazed at the sun as it rose and followed its trajectory all day until it set in the evening. After nine days her limbs were rooted in the ground and her face took the shape of sunflower.
Which more or less explains the character of the flower itself. If you observe closely, you will notice that at the day's end its disc droops to the west. Like most flowers, its beauty lasts one to two weeks.
Lop Buri's reputation has spilled over to Saraburi, a neighbouring province, and farmers there have staggered planting of the crop so that sunflower belts can be admired three to four months a year.
The sunflower craze has stirred the imagination of local people. They have come up with edible goodies like sunflower seed-topped cookies, Khao Tang Med Tantawan (deep-fried rice pad topped with caramel and sunflower seed), sunflower juice, roasted sunflower seeds and sunflower honey, etc, and mind you they are in great demand.
The best way to admire sunflower plantations is to drive there because it gives you the option to stop wherever you want as both Lop Buri and Saraburi have other attractions such as mountains, vineyards ranches and dairy farms. Avoid the weekends because they are usually crowded with people.
Since the sunflower has a short life, visitors are advised to check out where the flowers are in bloom before they travel there. In Lop Buri the centre of attraction during December 2-13 is Khao Chin Lae. For enquiries, call 036-411-224.
In Saraburi, Hin Son and Tha Khlo in Kaeng Khoi District are the place to be until the end of December, after which focus shifts to Wang Muang and Muak Lek districts. Kaeng Khoi boasts 20,000 rai of sunflower belts.
Bangkok Post December 2005 www.bangkokpost.com
