Rayong’s 2017 fruit festival to begin on May 18

RAYONG, May 13 (TNA) – Thailand’s Rayong province is set to hold an annual fruit festival next week in order to promote local tourism and products, particularly the durian, which is widely grown in the area. Wittaya Chapanon, chief of Rayong’s Klaeng district, said this year’s event, named “Wonderful Fruits and Good Products from Muang Klaeng 2017”, takes places at the district office from May 18 to 21. The event features a variety of activities, including fruit contests, a “Miss Ugly” pageant, and durian processing demonstrations. For the last two days of the event, he said visitors will get a chance to taste “grilled durians” and many other types of edible fruits for free of charge. Mr Wittaya added that the Klaeng district is recognized as a Thai city of tourism, industry and agriculture where most of the local people are involved in farming. It has the largest durian-growing area in the country's eastern province totaling 39,000 rais of land plots. He expects 56,935 tons of durians to be produced in May alone. (TNA)