每日英語跟讀 Ep.K169:  About Thailand - Parched fields force Thailand to look beyond rice

Thailand has long served as one of the globe’s main rice bowls, but chronic water shortages are pushing the country to move away from a grain that dominates its fields and has defined a way of life for generations.

泰國向來是全球稻米主要供應國之一，但長期缺水讓這個國家無法再固守單一作物，必須為往後的世代定義新的生存方式。

Laddawan has spent the past forty years coaxing rice from her plot in central Thailand, but she is tired of watching her farmland squeezed dry by increasingly severe droughts.

過去40年來，拉德旺一直在泰國中部的自家土地上細心照料水稻，但嚴重的旱災持續蹂躪這片土地，此情此景已讓她感到厭倦。

"I plan to replace some rice paddies with limes," she told AFP after attending a government-run workshop urging farmers to diversify their crops.

在參加完一場由政府舉辦、鼓勵農夫種植不同作物的農作坊後，她告訴法新社記者：「我打算不種稻米，改種萊姆了。」

At a workshop held in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok, Laddawan was sold the seeds fruit trees.

拉德旺在曼谷附近暖武里省的一場農作坊上買到果樹種籽。

These alternatives will drastically reduce water consumption but also break the monoculture that has deteriorated Thai soil for decades.

這些替代方案將大幅縮減用水量，也將打破數十年來造成泰國土質惡化的單一作物栽培模式。

"We have no choice, we need to adapt," Laddawan said, explaining that she used to plant three rice crops annually, but next year will only have enough water for one.

拉德旺表示，她過去每年種植3次水稻，但水資源只夠在明年種1次，「我們沒有選擇，只能改變。」

Next Article

Thai hotel brews up coffee from elephant dung 泰國酒店從象糞中煮出咖啡

For those who like their coffee with a strong nose Thailand could be the ideal destination, after a blend made from elephant dung was put on sale by an upmarket hotel chain.

泰國一家高檔連鎖酒店販售象糞製作的咖啡後，對喜愛濃咖啡的人來說，泰國可能是個理想去處。

The Black Ivory blend, made from coffee beans digested and excreted by Thai elephants, is billed as producing a particularly smooth cup.

這種「黑色象牙」咖啡，是由泰國大象消化並排泄出來的咖啡豆製成，號稱味道特別溫和。

But it is not cheap, with Anantara Hotels saying the "naturally refined" coffee costs a staggering $1,100 per kilogram -- making it one of the most expensive blends in the world.

但象糞咖啡所費不貲，安娜塔拉酒店表示，這種「天然精釀」的咖啡豆每公斤要價讓人咋舌的1100美元，是世界最貴的咖啡之一。

"Research indicates that during digestion, the enzymes of the elephant break down coffee protein," the Thai-based hotel group said in a statement.

這家泰國酒店集團在聲明中說：「研究指出，在消化過程中，大象體內的酵素會分解咖啡豆裡的蛋白質。」