SALT FIELDS IN PATTANI

By Che Saad Noordin

PATTANI, July 8 (Bernama) -- It is common to see many paddy fields in
Thailand as the country is one of the world's major rice producers.

In Pattani, a province in south Thailand, people still go to the paddy
fields but instead they toiled there to produce salt.

In these paddy fields, the farmers utilised a traditional method to turn sea
water into salt granules. The salt-making fields are found in at least 10
villages in the province where the total area is more than 2,000 rai (one rai is
equivalent to 0.2 hectare).

This salt-making industry in the villages, located near the sea, apart from
providing income to the farmers, has also turned into a tourism product for
Pattani.

The salt produced in these villages received good response as people
believed that it has certain beauty and health-enhancing properties.


HOW THE SALT IS PRODUCED

According to one of the paddy field salt-makers in Kampung Lamdok (Lamdok
Village) here, 45-year-old Bisim Mamat, this industry has been a traditional
activity in the province for some 100 years and the salt is made during the dry
spell.

Before the sea water is 'moved' to the fields where the salt is to be
produced, the water has to be 'cleared' first for about one month in another
field located near the area of salt production.

"After one month, the sea water turns clear and then it is channelled into
another field where it is left under the sun for at least one week," he said.


SALT FIELDS

The salt makers in this province utilised a large-size hoe or mattock-like
instrument made of wood to collect the salt granules in the fields.

Another salt producer in Kampung Kuing (Kuing Village), 50-year-old Ismail
Ahmad, said the salt-making process would be held up if there is heavy downpour
as the layer of salt formed would dissolve in rainwater but if there is much
sunshine then a lot of salt would be formed.

For a field that measures about 10 x 20 metres, a farmer is able to produce
close to 50 kg of coarse salt which fetches the market price of 15 bhat
(US$.50 sen) for half a kg.


LAND

Ismail, who has been making paddy field salt for more than 30 years, said he
had leased government land for the salt-making venture at RM100 (US$31.25) a
year .

However due to lucrative cash offers, many of these 'land owners' had sold
their land to businessmen who have bigger capital in the industry, he said.

According to Ismail, not all paddy fields in Pattani are suitable for salt
making as the soil may not be suitable for the purpose, adding that some people
had tried the venture in other areas but failed.

"Only the paddy fields in villages nearby and around Krue Se (Keresik) are
ideal for salt making as they are located near the sea and the soil there has
high salt content that can be solidified into salt granules", he said.


GOOD FOR HEALTH

Another salt maker, 60-year-old Abdul Kadir Nik, said the salt granules
which originated from the sea is believed to have medicinal properties including
to cure skin diseases.

He said many tourists bought the salt for the simple reason that they
believed it is good for health. Some bought the salt to be turned into an
ingredient of beauty and skin care soaps.

"Producers of beauty care items from Malaysia have bought the salt to be
made into an ingredient of their products", he said.


NOT INTERESTED

Abdul Kadir said the high and lucrative offers made by big-time businessmen
had resulted in much of the paddy fields to 'change hands'.

"Therefore many of the entrepreneurs in paddy field salt-making are
outsiders", he said.

"However I persisted and although my paddy field is only three rai wide
(about 0.6 hectares) I am still able to make ends meet and support my family,"
he said.

However many among the younger generation are not interested in the
salt-making venture and prefer to migrate to Malaysia in search of jobs there,
he added.
-- BERNAMA