A treat for plant lovers Horticulture Fair 2006 scheduled December 1-6 at the Rose Garden Riverside in Nakhon Pathom brings together experts and breeders from 17 nations who will showcase plants and flowers native to their parts of the world. Organised jointly by the Thailand Exhibition and Convention Bureau and the Royal Horticultural Society of Thailand (RHST), the event will feature various species of Thai and international orchids, contests and workshops on how to develop new markets. There will be some 20 booths of Thai and foreign orchid breeders and exporters who will be showcasing their latest products. Countries invited to the event are Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the United States and Taiwan. "One of the highlights this year is the evaporative room that will exhibit exotic and rare orchids that can't be bred in Thailand, such as the Lycaste and Masdevallia varieties from Central America," said RHST president Krairit Vejvarut. Expensive award-winning orchids, and those of economic value, will ensure a colourful display that is expected to draw some 50,000 visitors and generate at least 20 million baht. Contests will be held in the best orchid, best orchid garden, as well as non-orchid categories, the latter featuring plants like aglaonema, adenium, cadiaeum and nepenthes. This year's event is expected to take a distinctively yellow overtone, especially on December 5 which is HM the King's birthday, as the country and its citizens are celebrating 60 years of his inspiring reign. The RHST will also be giving out orchids free of charge to visitors born in the same month. As for the workshops, renowned international experts will be on hand to share their knowledge with visitors, namely: Dr Syed Yusof Alsagoff, former president of the Orchid Society of Southeast Asia; Dr Yoneo Sagawa, professor of Horticulture University of Hawaii who is an expert on greenhouse plants, and experts from the Netherlands, the US and Singapore who will variously speak on topics such as "Why Holland has Become the Orchid Hub of Europe?", "Orchid Markets in the United States" and the "History of Cash Orchids". Additional activities include orchid photo contests, classes on flower arrangement courtesy of Thai Orchid Garden Enterprise Association and lectures on orchid care. |