Pol Colonel Chamnan Ruad-rew, deputy commander of Chiang Mai provincial police, said Suan Nong Nooch, which built the Royal Flora Ratchapruek 2006 exposition, had reported that certain pineapple bromeliad were found

to be missing just a few days after the exposition was opened on Wednesday.

It was not known who had taken them, but it seemed certain to be visitors, he said. Chamnan had ordered police stationed at the site to pay more attention to exhibition domes that presented bromeliad and exotic and rare plant species.

Bromeliad is a tropical American plant of the family Bromeliaceae, usually having long stiff leaves, colourful flowers, and showy bracts. Some kinds of bromeliad are rare and very expensive. Numerous ornamental bromeliads, including pineapple, have been presented at the exposition as one of the highlights of the event.

Chamnan did not give details of how many pineapple bromeliad were stolen. He conceded it was very difficult to monitor all visitors and all exhibits, but the police would do their best to secure the event.

He said every day 1,400 uniformed and plain-clothed police were assigned to the site. Some were stationed at fixed spots while others patrolled the site either on foot or by bicycle. Chamnan said he could not increase the number of officers.

Sunun Phanthurat, chief of operations management of Suan Noong Nooch, said 11 members of his staff were assigned to stand by at several exhibition domes to help with security.

Reed Tradex, hired by the Agriculture Department to organise the flora expo, also encouraged its staff to closely monitor the exhibition. One of Reed's guest assistants who was stationed at the Shade Paradise, an exhibition dome which houses the pineapple bromeliad and another 2,000 tropical plant species, said her duty was to keep an eye on the bromeliad and cosmos flowers. During the first two days of the exhibition, the cosmos flowers were the primary target of thieves because of their attractive colours, she said. They were also easier to steal than bromeliad because they were smaller and easier to handle.

Paisal Voraurai, an adviser to Suan Nong Nooch, said theft had been expected as it was impossible to monitor tens of thousands of people visiting the site each day. Rather than being too worried about stolen plants, Paisal said his main point of concern was the feelings of the visitors.

"We will take responsibility for all damage that happens to the plants. New plants will replace the damaged ones. I can assure you that from the first day of the exhibition till the very last, all of the flora will be every bit as beautiful," he said.

Besides stolen exotic flowers and problem visitors, the exposition was about to confront another problem with a Bottle Tree from Australia.

Jirakorn Kosaisawe, deputy director-general of the Agriculture Department, said one of five Bottle Trees, which are worth tens of thousands of baht each, was dying. Suan Nong Nooch was paying to have another plant shipped from Australia, he said.

Pennapa Hongthong

The Nation

Chiang Mai