Bananas Grown in Thailand

There are well over twenty varieties of bananas grown in Thailand. Actually some of them are more correctly classified as plantains which are eaten green and used in Thai cooking. Plantains aside there are three main varieties of banana grown locally where I live in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand.

The Thai word for banana is “Kluay.” No sound is made for the “l.”

Kluay Khai, the egg banana, is a short cylindrical shaped fruit often served fried in a light syrup, but also enjoyable fresh. Kluay Nam Wa is a larger fruit that is highly nutritious, often used in Thai deserts since it is very sweet when ripe. However my favourite and the third kind of bananas grown locally is Kluay Leb Meu Nang which are quite small and as the name suggests are shaped like a ladies fingers with long nails. Just the right balance of sweetness and firmness.

The banana plant(Musa paradisiaca) besides producing fruit also provides the Thai people with all manner of other useful things. Banana leaves are used for packaging takeaway food as well as providing a free disposable plate to eat from. They also make a great makeshift umbrella if you are caught in a shower. The stems of the plants are used for cattle fodder and are also sliced up to make the base of the Krathong used in the annual Loy/Loi Krathong celebrations.

Male banana flowers are quite large and purple in colour like the one in today’s photograph, aside from pollinating the female flowers, are also eaten in salads along with the roots from the plant.

By the way if you happen to be in Thailand and wander into a banana plantation, take care as such places are said to be the home of a beautiful female ghost Phi Tanee.

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D 55mm Lens

Related posts:

1. Banana Plantation Thailand