Prachinburi, Thailand

A lost boy

Let’s get lost with this little boy while traveling.

Prachinburi, Thailand

As I promised on my last week post, I will present more bamboo information to you this week. It may not be considered as a tourist attraction, but I think it is worth getting lost and visiting. So, let’s get started.

First of all, I have to say that I’m not an expert in this field, so I got some help from Uncle Sirapop Arjraksa, who is the owner of the bamboo store, Na Na Bamboo (สวนไผ่นานาพันธุ) located in Mueang District, Prachinburi in Thailand. If you want to take a visit to his place, he really welcomes, especially those who are bamboo lovers!

 

Uncle Sirapop

 

Thanks to him, I am more into the nature than ever before.

Normally, some people are familiar with bamboo because they appear as the main food of a lovely sleepy creature called Panda, while others think that the bamboo is the iconic plant from China.

In fact, this evergreen plant has never been popular in Thailand until recently. Now, it can be called as an economic plant for various uses of itself. For one, we can use it to make a pair of chopsticks, which are traditional eating utensils of many countries in Asia. Its stalk can also make paper.

Moreover, in Thailand, the bamboo tree can even be made as a food container. For instance, Khaolam Thai Dessert, also widely known as glutinous rice roasted in bamboo joints, can never ever be complete without the bamboo joints. Most of you may think that it is just a container, but actually, when you grill the sticky rice and coconut milk within the bamboo, its internal meristem will be melt with the rest of the ingredients, which creates an amazing taste.

Apart from the stalk part, its leaf can make tea! The bamboo leaf tea is very good for your health as it helps promote healthy hair and nail growth as well as healthy bone density.

 

bamboo leaf

 

Besides, the bamboo tree is popular for home gardening as well. Uncle Sirapop told me that many Thais and foreigners ordered various types of the well-grown bamboo trees at his store. The 7-year Giant Bamboo tree can cost up to ten thousand baht per each due to the tremendous size and years.

 

Giant bamboo

 

Another prominent type is the Black Bamboo tree or Bambusa Lako, whose stalk is as wholly black as its name. It is famous in Japanese garden style.

 

Bambusa lako

 

When it comes to a unique type, you cannot forget the Bambusa Maculata. It is a bamboo whose stalk has a similar stripe as a tiger’s pattern. The stripe of this bamboo has two zigzag colors: brown and green resembling the brown and black color on the tiger’s body.

Next, let’s talk about how to grow the bamboo. You can buy a bamboo plant at the store. The price can vary because it depends on the types and growth of the trees. There are some costed around 500-1000 Baht per each tree, too.

If you want more deep details about bamboos, this is Uncle Sirapop’s Facebook: สวนไผ่นานาพันธุ์