BootsnAll Travel Network



Rice Tsunami

The price of rice has sky-rocketed in Thailand to such a degree that gangs have taken to raiding farmers’ rice fields. Some farmers have taken to sleeping in the fields to guard against thefts. One economic advisor on CNN Asia has called it a “rice tsunami.” He went on to say that this has been coming on for some time but people chose to ignore the signs…land crunch…draught…and other factors that are world-wide. And even though there is a draught in the north, local officials in Chiang Mai have decided to release more water from the dams to accommodate revelers during Sangkran next week (the water festival) much to the dismay of the farmers. More on the significance of Sangkran (cleansing ceremony) to the Thais later when I report on being drenched by water with buckets, water guns and hoses…some of it ice water provided by the bars! It’s the hot season so you can imagine how a sudden douse of ice water feels on a hot sweaty body!



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