DOI KHAM : A Royal Project for the
Production of Flowers and Vegetables

The 14th annual Doi Kham Royal Project, Exhibition will be held at the Empress Hotel on Changklan Road. It runs from the opening ceremony (5.00 pm.) on 20 December until late afternoon on 23rd December. Everyone is invited entrance is free to inspect the wealth of fresh vegetables and flowers on display. And also to inspect the quality top quality, Doi Kham quality!

The Doi Kham gardens are off the Irrigation Canal (Klong Cholpratarn) Road and represent the fruition of one of H.M. King Bhumibol's Royal Projects. The gardens, employing people who might otherwise be unemployed, produce an amazing variety of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers for the commercial market. Broccoli, lettuce, lemon thyme, mint, avocado, pussy-willow and carnations are all in seasonal array at Doi Kham.

Most of the major international hotels, and quality restaurants, in Chiang Mai (and further afield) take produce from Doi Kham. Also, commercial factories supply overseas markets with canned and frozen juices and vegetables and dehydrated purees while others export aromatic pot-pori and dried flowers.

H.M. King Bhumibol has a series of Royal Projects which are not only under his Patronage but His Majesty actively encouraged the formation of the Royal Projects Foundation. Finance for such projects were coaxed from government sources and, where needs be, The King personally provided seed money (a very apt term!) to get the projects off the ground. Four research stations and thirty five Development Centres are within the Royal Projects Foundation and, between them, in excess of 85,000 people are engaged in the various cultivation programs.

At the Doi Kham Fruit and Vegetable Display in the Express Hotel, visitors will have a selection of items to take their interest. Aside from the exhibition itself, there will be opportunities to sample and buy the products. Lunch and snacks will be available in the Noppakao Room; also Thai Airways Catering Department has joined with Piccola Roma Restaurant to give cookery demonstrations in the Petcharat Room. Other days will see the Lemon Tree Restaurant, plus chefs Khun Ketsuda Raiwa and Khun Tanadsri Sawatdiwat, demonstrate culinary delights with that wonderful Doi Kham produce. There will be painting contests and the skills of vegetable carving and adorning baskets will be in competition in Wiman Room.

This will be an amazing exhibition especially for overseas visitors who will rarely have seen vegetables carved in such exquisite fashions (where a lowly turnip can look like a rose!) it's a time to feast your eyes, as well as your taste buds, at the Royal Projects Doi Kham Display. Visitors staying at the Empress Hotel won't have far to go.