In Thailand, its cultivation and consumption have helped to mould the psyche of those who grow and eat it. The process requires a collective participation that bonds people together — in planting and harvesting, in rituals to venerate Mae Phosop (the goddess of rice), and in sharing meals from a communal rice bowl. The strong sense of community found among rural Thais invariably impresses visitors from afar, and joining in the rituals of a rice-based culture leaves them with memories to treasure.

Westerners generally greet each other with a direct query, such as “How are you?” Thais when they meet usually ask, “Have you eaten rice yet?” This reflects an appreciation of the fact that a full stomach equates directly to well-being. Indeed, the nutritional benefits of rice, particularly unpolished brown and red varieties, are legendary. Just 100 grams provide around 350 calories, making this a high-energy food that is also easily-digested.

Rice is rich in protein, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins E and B. It is cholesterol-free, and provides an effective remedy for diarrhoea and nausea. Eating rice is also believed to promote the production of serotonin in the brain — a chemical that helps to regulate and improve the eater’s mood. So it is not surprising that Thais eat rice whenever the opportunity arises, or that a reverential attitude towards this crop is evident in all stages of its cultivation.

The rice-growing year in Thailand begins at about the time of the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, a Brahmin ritual tracing its origins back to the Sukhothai era (1257-1350 AD). This takes place at an astrologically auspicious time, usually in May (May 11 in 2009). Ceremonial bulls plough a small part of Sanam Luang, a large grassy area near the Grand Palace used for royal cremations and other major events that is an important part of Bangkok’s ‘Rattanakosin Island.’

During the ceremony, the Lord of the Harvest chosen for that particular year scatters seeds blessed earlier by the king. Predictions for the relative abundance of the coming season’s harvests are based on choices made by the bulls which have seven troughs of different foods proffered to them. At the end of the ceremony, barriers are removed and farmers rush to grab handfuls of the precious scattered grain in the belief that it will guarantee them a bumper crop. The practice faded out in the early 20th century but was revived as an annual event in 1960 during the present reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX.

Farmers throughout the land plough their paddies in preparation for the new crop when the first rains of the monsoon season appear in May or June to soften the parched earth. At first, seeds are planted in seedbeds. When they are about six inches high in about July, they are transplanted into the flooded paddies. This involves picking off a few stems from a clump of shoots and thrusting their roots into the soft mud, then repeating the process endlessly, leaving a space of about a foot, or 30 centimetres, between each cluster of shoots.

The labour-intensive task of transplanting is shared by the whole community. Despite having to stand for hours with “backs to the sky, faces to the earth,” as the Thai saying goes, groups of rice planters are generally high spirited, joking and singing as they squelch through ankle-deep mud gradually covering each paddy in an emerald-green blanket. This is one of the most exciting times to be travelling around the Thai countryside, and any visitor showing an interest in the activity is likely to be invited to join in and lend a hand. Simple shelters dot the landscape where the farmers eat their packed lunch and snooze in the shade during the hottest time of day.

Weeds are not a big problem due to the presence of water, but the paddies still need constant attention to keep birds, rodents and insects at bay from when the rice shoots are transplanted until the harvest in November or December. When the paddies turn gold and the heads of the rice stalks bend beneath the weight of the grain, the crop is harvested using a short sickle to cut through the stalks.

Finally, the rice is threshed to remove the chaff, a process that is still done by hand in most parts of Thailand. The collected grain is then bagged up and stored in the rice barn. These barns, or granaries, are often lovingly constructed, featuring carved balconies, ornate roof decorations and sturdy, inward-leaning teak pillars for support. In fact, some granaries have been given a new lease of life as luxury accommodation at boutique resorts in the Thai countryside.

Mae Phosop, the goddess of rice

In order to attain a successful harvest, Thai farmers feel they need to pay frequent homage to Mae Phosop, the goddess of rice. She is generally portrayed as an attractive woman seated on a pedestal and clutching a sheaf of rice panicles. At the time of sowing the rice, they build a shrine and make offerings to her, and mix new rice seeds with some of the previous year’s crop to render them sacred. The goddess is then shown thanks when the grain begins to form, or the plant becomes “pregnant,” as Thais put it, usually in September or October. At this time, the women of the village take sour fruits (traditionally in Thailand, pregnant women crave lime and tamarind) along with perfume, combs and mirrors to the rice paddies to present to Mae Phosop. They also erect taleo — small protective mandalas made of bamboo strips — beside the fields. Another ritual after the harvest is the making of an offering of a small part of the new crop for animals. The final ritual of the rice-growing season is to invite Mae Phosop to take up residence in the rice granary and protect the crop from disease or theft by animals such as rats. Traditionally, women perform this ritual, since it is thought that if a man were to be left alone in a rice barn with the beautiful Mae Phosop, he might consider planting seeds of a different variety.

Once the harvest is safely stored away, which is usually around December, rice farmers can rest from their labours for several months during the dry, cool season before it is time to prepare the fields for the next year’s crop. This is the time to enjoy the fruits of their labours, and consume rice in its many forms.

People from north and northeast Thailand have a preference for sticky rice over steamed rice, and eat it rolled into small balls and dipped into spicy sauces. The preparation of sticky rice is a lot more complex than that of steamed rice, requiring overnight soaking, but aficionados swear that no other type of rice can satisfy hunger pangs as well. It is used in several delicious Thai desserts such as khao lam, for which sticky rice is pre-soaked, mixed with sugar and coconut milk and then baked in bamboo tubes. Mango and sticky rice is another great combination of tastes and textures.

Learning about rice culture in Thailand
For visitors who develop a reverence for rice and would like to learn more about rice culture in Thailand, there are various options. One of the most appealing is to arrange a visit to the award-winning Sukhothai Organic Farm, where you can watch or join in the planting and harvesting process and observe the work being done with cross-bred varieties in the quest for ever-more nutritious strains of rice. Visits can be arranged through the neighbouring Sukhothai Heritage Resort (www.sukhothaiheritage.com).

If your interest veers more towards the preparation and consumption of rice, sign up for a ‘Stay and Study’ package at the Jasmine Rice Village Boutique Resort (www.jasminericevillage.com) near Chiang Mai. Run by the owners of the acclaimed Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School, it offers the chance to pick your own ingredients from the herb garden and then learn how to make a classic Thai dish such as tom yam kung or tom kha gai, and finally eat it with a bed of fragrant jasmine rice. For anyone curious to stay in a rice granary, the Granary Resort (www.granaryresort.com) on the banks of the River Ping near Chiang Mai, features a handful of luxuriously-equipped teak granaries set in a lush riverside garden.

About the Author
Ron Emmons
Ron Emmons is a British-born writer and photographer who spent long periods teaching English in Africa and the Americas before moving to Thailand and settling in to Chiang Mai in the late 1980s. His feature articles on travel, culture, nature, Buddhism and photography have appeared in a variety of international newspapers and magazines, and he has written and updated several guide books on worldwide destinations for major publishing companies. He has also contributed many images to photographic books on Thailand and Southeast Asia.