What is the light of tomorrow for Thai farming?

In medical business, I heard that insulin for diabetes was developed as GMO for years by applying man's insulin in a bacteria and make a culture in a fermented tank while previously, the scientists had used insulin synthetised from pig or horse pancreas but people might be allergic from it. Besides, many medical and industrial products have been from GMO, such as cheese, food, or detergent, etc.



Yesterday[Oct 21], I went to attend the seminar on Agricultural Future for Thailand, hosted by the Agriculture Committee under the Senator Working Group and National Research Council. The content was about the explanation of GMO [Genetically Modified Organism] which was good. I found that GMO was not harmful as many people were afraid. It was only a technique to shorten the research objective in a commodity, such as an insect protection, disease resistant or for herbicide tolerance. GMO can be a protein of a bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis[BT] which could be called BT toxin. The plant cell could accept this protein by suitable receptor. So, don't believe the scientist put all BT in plant cell, just a protein of it. Presently, BT itself has been distributed in the environment and been for sale as the natural pesticide in agriculture already, it is not strange to have BT getting in our daily life.

GMO could help a plant or animal get advantages only in one or two aspects as the scientist made. It is not a miracle. And it's genotype which is a good advantage can be vanished due to its external and environmental factors. Don't be afraid of GMO whereas the food contaminated with pesticides residue is toxical but GMO is none.



However, it is impossible to have everyone believe in GMO. There must be various idea about it, although, halal food consumers do not refuse GMO but it was declined by the natural [organic] products buyers. Thailand has to bear in mind for the exporting food in different items. Previously, we were able to announce we were a non GMO producing country but if we permit GMO to research here, we must make a criteria to seperate GMO and non GMO in our country. First of all, the effective committee and working group must be established.

In the future,2050 or the next 40 years, world population could be up to 9,000 million inhabitants[now 6,ooo?]. Temperature was forecasted to be 4.3 degree celsius higher and soil condition could be deteriorated and need more fertilising. In 2004 energy from fossil was already used more than half from the total as the globe occupied. Agriculture in the past was for food, clothes, medicine and house, but now, the bio-energy for power has been raised up to discussed among the policy makers. Agriculture could be more important. Researches must go on efficiently. Whoever decline new technology, they must go back to the dream in the past. The group of NGOs who encouraged people getting back to the conventional methods make people mixed up and our policy have to be stopped in progress.



Please make decision if we could allow GMO researches here in Thailand. Other developed countries in Europe, North and South America, China, India and Oceania all have already allowed GMO researches, although they must label GMO on the product tags on the markets, as well as the law in Thailand. Believe it or not, most soybean, and some corn, cotton importing to Thailand have been GMO already. Think of our people would be like in the next 40 years and make decision. Chavalvut

Just a day in Chiangmai

Don't blame me if you know we went to Chiangmai again. Just to visit some places. We went there on October 9-11 which was the weekend. We went to the ornamental crops market for buying some trees for my son's house, and then went to Wat Pra That Jom Thong in Jomthong District to visit my sister's friend and worship the buddhist symbols. On the way to Chiangmai, we tried to drive slowly, but the cops still stopped us for driving fast, 122 km/hr. What a bad luck for us! Our efford was not successful.


The next day we went to Kumthiang market at which they sell ornamental trees and garden equipment. This market was behind Tesco Lotus on the Super High Way Road. There were a lot of tree shops----


and flowers displayed for the customers. If you go to Chiangmai and have no where to go, you should visit this place. Nothing make you happy as much as trees because we are the nature and staying with the trees which mean the nature being around us.


We bought about 6 big trees and the seller loaded them on the truck to our place for transplanting. She charged us 100 baht per one transplanting or 600 for 6. This black car was our car we took from Bangkok. A boy in the picture was my grand nephew.


While we were waiting for the trees, we saw a fruit dealer walking passed by. The fruit were Long Gong, which was well known from the south. It's taste was like langsad, and/or Lugu from Malaysia, but they were more tender, sweet and their seed were small or none. More delicious, I concluded.


In the afternoon we went to Pra That Chomthong. This was a beautiful pagoda which people came to worship. Chomthong was down south, 50 Kilometre far from Chiangmai. It was the way to Ma Sariang and to Doi Inthanon, the highest mountain in Thailand. We got to the temple around 4pm. which was a little bit late for the visitor.


However, there were a few visitors walking respectively around the pagoda for their peaceful mind. At the temple, there were many white dress temple members, some were buddhist nun and there were quite a few monks too. I heard about the reputation of this temple for their serious meditation classes and buddhist principle practices. We admired these unified mind making methods. They made us to be in peace and happy.


Finally, we drove back to Chiangmai, and got there around 7pm. We then went directly to the buffet at Novotel Suriwong which was close to night bazaar. This was a chance for my family to take a shopping walk while I was having a beer and watching the music band.

The next day, we drove back home. We tried to drive slowly and did not wish to face the cops. It was saved on the way back. We arrived home around 7pm.