Yes, we are talking about the wonderful fruit - the size of a football and covered with spikes - that is notorious for its odour. Thais consider the robust scent the most sensual element of durian, while Westerners are generally appalled.

According to the durianpalance.com website, Westerners have described durian's odour as "rotten onions with Limburger cheese and low-tide seaweed," or "French custard passed through a sewer pipe".

Well, we think the smell isn't that bad. After all, any disgust about the durian's fragrance vanishes with the heavenly taste.

Now - horrors! - the Agriculture Department recently developed a new strain of durian with virtually no odour.

Songpon Somsri, an official of the department's Horticulture Research Institute, said he had been working on an odourless durian for more than 20 years since he was in his 20s. He has bred new hybrids named Chanthaburi 1 and Chanthaburi 2 and plans to distribute one million saplings to farmers. The Chanthaburi 2 is less smelly than the Chanthaburi 1.

Songpon believes the new breeds will promote Thai exports.

"I have an Australian friend who said this new durian tastes perfect," he says.

Congratulations to Khun Songpon for his successful research.

But we still want to know what's the point of stripping the sensual odour from durian? The mystique of this fruit is that its smell is intolerable until you take a bite. Then it's love at first bite!

Jeerawat@nationgroup.com