An 81 year old Thai man sold his homegrown durian, the first floating durian in Thailand, for 300,000 baht at an auction during the Thong Pha Phum Fruit Festival 2025 in the central province of Kanchanaburi.
The elderly man, Pid Sinthao, is known for his famous floating homestay, Phae Malai, located in the Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi. He is also recognised for his remarkable success in cultivating a durian tree on a floating raft.
The unique tree became popular among fruit lovers and agricultural enthusiasts, earning the nickname “floating durian.”
The owner of one of the leading durian plantations in Kanchanaburi, Suppawat Murin, was the first to discover Pid’s achievement. He visited the floating homestay for dinner with friends and came across the durian tree growing on the raft.
Durian trees are difficult to cultivate, even on land. They require specific soil conditions, consistent tropical temperatures, high humidity, and well-distributed rainfall throughout the year. The trees are also sensitive to strong winds, flooding, and drought, making them a challenge for even experienced growers.
Although the tree had previously blossomed, Pid had never managed to grow any fruit from it. Suppawat offered advice to help bring Pid’s dream to life. He recommended raising the tree about one metre above the water and adding soil around its base.
The tips proved successful, allowing the tree to produce multiple blossoms, which later developed into durians. Unfortunately, Pid explained that heavy rain this year caused most of the fruit to fall, leaving only two durians to continue growing.
Each durian weighed about 3 kilogrammes, and Pid anticipated harvesting them in time for the fruit festival in 2025.
His expectations were met, and the floating durian became one of the event’s highlights. Pid’s produce was hailed as Thailand’s first floating durian.
One of the durians was put up for auction and fetched a winning bid of 300,000 baht. The successful bidder was the Kanchanaburi Provincial Durian Association.
Pid announced that he would donate the proceeds to the Thong Pha Phum District Office for the benefit of the community.
In addition to the durian, Pid has also grown a mango tree and various other plants on his floating accommodation. Anyone wishing to try the floating durian can visit Pid at the Phae Malai floating homestay and reserve the fruit ahead of the next harvest.
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