The Story of Thai Rice

Read more: Photo gallery: From Thailand’s Rice Bowl to Bangkok’s dinner tables  |  CNNgo.com

As the world’s largest exporter of rice in the world, Thailand is famous for its top quality, long-grain jasmine white rice, prized over the lower grades that are grown in other regions of Asia — and even the United States.

CNNGo headed into the ‘rice bowl’ of central Thailand to a farm outside the town of Khiri Mat in Sukhothai province to see how rice is cultivated, harvested and then shipped to Bangkok and beyond.

From the fields to the warehouses, it’s backbreaking work.

In Central Thailand, pre-germinated seedlings are grown in wet soils and then transplanted to irrigated rice paddies.

Rice Farmers in their bare feet pull out each seedling.

Central Thailand rice farmers grow varieties of rice that yield three crops a year.

Urban sprawl poses an ongoing environmental as well as geographical threat to rice farming.

A rice farmer readies fertilizer for distribution in her field.

After transplanting seedlings into the rice paddy, fertilizers are spread by hand.

A rice farmer proudly shows off her rice seedlings that are ready to be transplanted.

A shop worker bags rice for sale.

Warehouse workers carry 50KG sacks of rice to waiting trucks that will deliver rice to restaurants and canteens.

Rice wholesale workers take a rest between hauling bags to trucks.

The rice will be sold at lower prices to local Sukhothai customers due to the lower quality of the rice and simple packaging.

Higher quality rice is put in nicer bags and sent to the bigger cities like Bangkok and also exported abroad.

The simplest way to serve rice is steamed. This plate of rice at a Bangkok restaurant is served with stir-fried eggplant, seabass, chili and basil.

Rice is also used to make flat noodles, such as those in this dish stir-fried with Chinese broccoli and eggs.

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Recently we had a night with some friends we’ve made over the past few years.  Having grown up in rural Indiana I have seen first-hand how many young couples and families move out of this area.  I can’t say that I hardly blame them in all honesty.  It’s not like there is a whole lot going on around here these days that is all that excited to young people.

I was in that boat once… and some days I suppose I still am.

Anyways, Kyle and Rachel were one of the few young couples that decided to stick it out in this area and we have grown to know them quite well and love them like family.  As things continue to ramp up towards our leave date (now only three weeks away) we decided to make the time to have them over for dinner and connect with them once more.

Sara decided to pull off an “authentic” Thai meal…  at least as authentic as we could find the ingerdients for in rural Indiana and as authentic as our guests guts could take real Thai food.  Sara did an AMAZING job and produced quite possibly the best food I’ve ever tasted….  Thai or American.  She rocks!

Our night consisted of eating way too much food like good little Americans and talking a lot about Sara and I’s future and also the future of this young couple.  We talked.  We ate.  We grilled.  We laughed.  We talked.  We ate…

These are the relationships that I feel we will miss a lot in the coming years.  We take so much for granted even in our best relationships.  It was an amazing night and one we wished did not end so soon.

What relationshps do you need to thank God for today?