Thai Scouts prepare for COVID war with Papaya.
When the coronavirus invades the human world causing trouble to people in countries around the globe. Besides treatment and prevention of the disease, one of the follow troubles will be food shortages and high price, especially among the poor and disadvantaged. Because many large food factories shut down or reduce the production due to the prohibition of cross-country transportation or across provinces. The issue prompted Thai Scouts to “Be Prepared” to cope with the future global food shortage crisis, by preparing an important weapon "Papaya".
Papaya (Malagaw) is a foreign fruit tree from South America, imported to grow in Thailand hundreds of years ago. It can be used either cooked or as a raw fruit, raw papaya is an important component of “Somtum , Thai papaya salad” which is a Thai food that has been hailed by CNN as one of the top ten delicious foods of the world. Ripe papaya has long been used to serve customers of leading airlines and hotels. It was reported from the Philippines and India that the water boiled papaya leaves can increase the number of platelets in dengue patients. Papaya propagation is done by seed, it takes about 8 months to bear fruits. Popular papaya varieties in Thailand are KhakDam, Plakmailai , Holland
In May 2020, Mr.Triti Prasarnsom, Inspector General of the Ministry of Education , when holding a position as the Director of Non-Formal Education (NFE) Ubon Ratchathani and Mr.Pannapong Thao-Art, Director of NFE of Prae Province, joined with Thai Scout Promotion Foundation organized thousands of NFE scouts planted more than 10,000 papaya trees in every sub-district. 10 months later , they show pictures of scouts reaching for the papaya fruit that they planted .
Success of Ubon and Phrae Scout Papaya Planting Project became an example for another groups of Scouts. To store food in papaya trees to follow the motto "Be Prepared" from Lord Baden Powell, the founder of the World Scout over a hundred years ago . To be prepare for the food shortage crisis during the Great Covid War which creeping closer.
Reported by: Artorn Chandavimol , artornc@gmail.com