The rice year

Rice still sets the rhythm of much of rural Thailand. In May the Royal Ploughing Ceremony (พิธีแรกนาขวัญ) at Sanam Luang opens the season: sacred oxen choose among rice, corn, beans, grass, water and liquor, and the choices are read as forecasts on the evening news. With the rains come ploughing and planting; in the cool season the fields turn gold and families gather for หน้าเกี่ยว, sometimes with neighbours working in turn (ลงแขก). Harvest is also when money arrives and debts are paid, so ปีนี้ข้าวได้ราคาไหม is a loaded question: many farmers borrow from the BAAC or relatives, and a bad price can mean another year of debt. Ask it with sympathy, not as a market analyst.