Brine Salt Farm Samut Sakhon Thailand

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Mike

Piles of brine salt awaiting collection in Thailand

Brine salt farm production is the biggest source of salt production in Thailand. This helps to make Thailand the 26th highest producer of salt in the world at around 1,000,000 tonnes per year.

The tiny province of Samut Sakhon tops the charts for production within Thailand. If you drive along Highway 35 from the provincial capital of the same name towards Samut Songkhram you will find brine salt farms on either side of the road. You will also find lots of stalls selling the salt that is produced nearby.

In order to produce the salt the flat salt pans are flooded with sea water which is pumped around the area using small wind pumps with sails(windmill). When each pan is full it is dammed and the hot sun does the rest by evaporating the water leaving the salt residue behind. The salt is then collected in piles (see image) cleaned and bagged ready for sale locally or for export.

Although the process is natural, large areas of mangrove swamp have been cleared to accommodate the ever increasing numbers of salt farms. This in turn has led to coastal erosion.

You might also like to read this article on salt production in Thailand from a recent Bangkok Post.

Equipment: Canon EOS 1000D 55mm Lens

Related posts:

  1. Fishing Boat Samut Sakhon Thailand
  2. Phanthai Norasing Shrine Samut Sakhon Thailand
  3. Buddhist Monk Samut Sakhon Thailand
  4. Thai Spirit House Somat Sakhon Thailand
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  • martin in bulgaria

    Hi Mike,
    Increased production for profits ruining the environment yet again. Pity they can't just cater for the local needs. The picture paints an innocent scene.

  • The TEFL Don

    @Martin, swings and roundabouts I guess. Originally there was no problem as the salt pans were natural.

  • Tabib

    I like the exposure of this pic. It looks innocent to be. Did they distroy the nature or ecosystem with this? .This is nature friendly with wind pumps windmill.
    I don't know.

  • The TEFL Don

    @Tabib, its the removal of the coastal mangroves thats the problem, leading to land erosion.

  • Anonymous

    how do they collect and clean the salt? we drove past and couldn't answer the childrens questions?

  • The TEFL Don

    Anon, the salt is raked into piles then collected in something that looks like a wheelbarrow. Unfortunately I don't know how it is cleaned(might not be). If it is cleaned I have a suspicion it goes to a factory for this process and is then bagged.

    You probably saw the bags on sale at the side of Highway 35.

  • The TEFL Don

    Anon, I found an interesting article today in the Bangkok Post that your kids might like to read. I have added the link to the post.

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