Traditional Thai Farming

 

In the past, the number of water buffalo a farmer had was an indication of wealth and the water buffalo was considered a farmer's best friend. Large numbers of them could be seen wallowing in the mud at the edge of paddy fields. But with the invention of diesel plows and tractors, uses for the animal have been on the decline -- until now. 

Water buffaloes cost about $400-$500 each, and are a cheap alternative to diesel ploughs. But both farmers and water buffaloes are out of practice. 

Young farmers like Supat Langboon have little experience using farm animals in the fields and the farm animals themselves are confused as to why they are in a rice field attached to a plough. 

But even though water buffalo are more difficult to control than tractors, Supat is not giving up. 

[Supat Langboon, Farmer]:

"I would like to try to use a water buffalo to pull the plough because petrol is very expensive." 

Supat's uncle, 73-year-old farmer Tawan Panyaharn, is teaching both man and beast to work together and progress is slow. 

[Tawan Panyaharn, Farmer]:

"My relatives do not know how to train a buffalo how to plough. Sometimes, I have to step in and train them myself. I can get the buffalo to pull the plough within a few days." 

Rice production is the main source of income for rural families in the northeast. Thailand is one of the world's biggest rice producers and exporters. Some 10 million hectares of rice is grown in the country. Half of that is located in the country's northeast.  

 

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