My First Thai Rice Harvest

I'm not sure whether my wife, Taew, was surprised any more by my enthusiasm for trying to live like a local in our village. I wanted to experience and appreciate how different life was from what I'd known in England. That became very clear when I got involved in the family's annual rice harvest.

I was gradually getting used to the seasons and what time of year things happened. For instance, I knew that Songkran was celebrated each April, and that Buddhist Lent was from August to October, with many Thais abstaining from alcohol for three months.

Certain fruits and vegetables grew at certain times of the year, as they would in other countries. Mangoes benefited from the hot weather and then the beginning of the rainy season. They may be one of Thailand's best-known fruits, but rice is the country's true staple food.

Rice growing is a major industry in the Land of Smiles. Mealtimes are often introduced with the phrase "Kin Khao" ("eat rice"), whether rice is actually being served or not.

I was fortunate to marry into a family that had many rai (the Thai unit of land measurement), of paddy fields where rice is grown.

Raking the Rice at the Family Home

Learning the Rice Cycle

Each year follows the same cycle. The rice is planted just before the rainy season kicks in, on land that can be bone dry. In the past, this was done by hand. Now, those with the means employ locals with machinery to carry out the task. I went to our family's fields to watch the process.

Then, in late October or November, combine harvesters cut the rice and separate the grains from the stalks before the crop is bagged and dried under the hot sun.

I had earlier indicated that I wanted to try removing the rice by hand, as one or two traditionalists continued to do. However, my good lady laughed and told me to wait.

I knew harvest time had arrived when Taew's uncle, Suryan, appeared one Saturday and started bringing down stacks of blue hessian sheets that had been stored above the cattle in the barn. 

My YouTube Video of the Rice Harvest

Drying the Harvest

On the following Monday, the operation began to bag the rice. A vehicle deposited a huge pile of it in the corner of our large garden after bringing it from the farm. The sheets had been laid out on the ground, covering large areas, with the task being to spread the rice out on them.

We were fortunate to have such a private area. Many others lay the blue sheets on the side of the road and do their work there, in the hot sun, without having convenient facilities. They are real heroes.

Our team consisted of my mother-in-law, Auntie Lamyong, Taew and various family members who joined in whenever they could. Father and Suryan coordinated the work while the rest of us spread the rice evenly with large rakes.

We Plough the Fields and Scatter

A Foreigner Learns the Hard Way

This is done so that the rice, which is often wet, dries out under the sun. After a couple of hours, it requires raking again so none of it is missed. Late in the afternoon, it is time to put the rice into sacks, which is no easy task, especially for a tall, ageing foreigner. 

It requires scooping the rice with a bucket before depositing it into sacks, which invariably seemed to close at the top when I attempted it. I formulated a method that amused people who'd been doing it the same way for decades. I sat on the floor and used a tray to scoop the rice into a bucket held by my much smaller wife, with bending down being less of an issue to her.

That night, I struggled to get into bed; my back ached so much. Muscles I didn't even know I had suddenly made themselves known. My mate Steve, who I knew suffered back trouble, offered me some excellent exercise and yoga advice, which helped to manage the pain.

It astonished me how family members well into their seventies were managing. They must have been as hard as nails. The rest of the week, I volunteered and did a little bit. I was told to relax and bring out drinks when requested. My respect for my peers went through the roof throughout the week.

Time to Relax

Superman Arrives

Friday arrived, and the crop was nearly all in sacks. A small, wiry fellow arrived, whom I quickly christened Superman. Apparently, yet another distant relation who lived in a village around 5km away. His job was to put the sacks on his shoulders, climb the wooden stairs, and deposit them inside the wooden storage cabin. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I made sure he got isotonic drinks, which he’d never tried before, as he continued his herculean efforts. That final day had seen quite a gathering assemble, as word got around that everything needed to be finished. Anyone with spare time lent a hand, which would be reciprocated when they harvested their rice. It’s that type of place.

A Community Effort

When it was completed, we sat around in the garden having snacks and drinks, being very proud, while enjoying each other’s company. It certainly made me appreciate things, with the thought of how hard it must have been for those without being able to pay for the team with combine harvesters in the past.

Our rice is either sold, eaten by us, or passed on to friends and family. I’m only too willing to assist in lending the cash for the machinery or labour, with the addition of a new metal shed on ground level being a fantastic investment.

Overall, this was a memorable experience that gave me a real insight into local life in rural Thailand. Although modern machinery has transformed rice harvesting, it remains one of the hardest jobs I've ever witnessed. Taking part gave me a real appreciation of the effort behind something most of us simply buy in a supermarket.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.