People planning to visit the 2006 international horticulture exposition to see the cutting edge of botanical technology might be disappointed.

While insisting the 2006 Royal Flora Ratchaphruek will showcase Thailand's capabilities as a world leader in agriculture, Adisak Sreesunpagit, director-general of the Department of Agriculture, admitted the Kingdom doesn't have the avant-garde goods to show off.

He said, however, that the event is still a chance for people to learn more about horticulture, especially since not everyone knows about existing technologies in the country. "You might say hydroponic gardening is not a newly-invented technology, but how many Thais know about it?" Adisak asked.

Prawet Saengpetch of the department's Horticultural Research Division said the best technology presented at the event might be the induced off-season flowering of Thai fruits such as durian, longan, mangosteen and rambutan. This requires little more than applying chemicals to the fruit tree - potassium chlorate for longan and paclobutrazol for durian, for example.

Meanwhile, representatives of Nong Nooch Landscape and Gardening Design, widely known among Thais as Suan Nong Nooch, which is responsible for the landscaping of the event, seemed to understand the interests of its visitors.

"I'm sure most Thais will come here just to be excited by the exotic and beautiful plants and flowers from all over the world, not for the knowledge," said Paisal Vora-urai, an expert in tropical trees and adviser to the company. "That is why we decorated the landscape with plenty of colourful flowers for them to take pictures of."

The Bt2.3-billion show will commence next week amid mounting questions about what the country will gain from it.

"Don't ask me anything about that," Prawet said.

"We are organising [this event] to celebrate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's ascension to the throne and for his 80th birthday next year. That is the main reason for the government to host it."

Pennapa Hongthong

The Nation

Chiang Mai