Orchid Pavilion at Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006
The Largest Orchid Park of the Special, Rare, and the Endangered
Chiang Mai, Thailand-November 4, 2006

As the world’s number-one exporter of orchids, Thailand is living up to its reputation by building one of the world’s largest orchid park in an “Orchid Pavilion,” a special feature of “Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006,” International Horticultural Exposition for His Majesty the King (November 1, 2006 – January 31, 2007, Chiang Mai, Thailand.) The Orchid Park features over 50,000 special, rare, and endangered orchids.

In the “Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006,” special and rare orchids are on exhibition. The “Orchid Pavilion” is built in a 200-sq.m. temperature-controlled building and features an Orchid Park which simulates a natural habitat of orchids.

The orchid family is one of the most highly evolved of the entire plant kingdom, comprising over 800 genera and 25,000 species. They can be found throughout the world, even in the desert or swamp areas.

In Thailand, botanists record that there are approximately 174 genera and 1,200 species. Report of new species and records continue from the abundant forests in Thailand. The country is the number-one exporter of orchids in the world. During the past 40 years, ever since the year 1965, Thailand has been developing its orchid breeding incessantly and rapidly. The value of its orchid export rose from merely 80,000 US dollars during the first years to 80 million US dollars today. The orchid export accounts for 80% of the total ornamental plants export of Thailand.

Parts of the orchids on display in the “Orchid Pavilion” are:

• World’s Largest Orchid
  Tiger Orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum Blume)
  This species is reputed to be the largest of all orchid species with up to 2.5 meters in mature specimens.
  
  
  The stems look like sugar cane. The inflorescences are up to two meters long. This orchid is in eastern and southern Thailand, found growing on large trees in evergreen and dry evergreen forest areas. Flowering period is during July to October.
  
  
• World’s Smallest Orchid
  Bulbophyllum moniliforme Par. & Rchb.f.
  This species is reputed to be the smallest orchid, producing a tiny stem, only 1-3 mm. across.
  
  
• Re-discovered Orchid.
  Butterfly-like Orchid
  (Doritis lowii [Rchb.f.] T. Yukawa & K. Kita)
  This epiphytic orchid species bear rather large beautiful flowers resembling a butterfly. For almost a century, people believed this orchid to be extinct. The discovery in 1993 in the limestone forest of a western region of Thailand of this orchid was refreshing news.

Apart of the orchid displays, there is also weekly competition on different topics; for instance, the Best Orchid of Thailand, the Best of Cattleya, the Best of Oncidium, etc. Those who want to submit their orchids for the competition must submit their registration one week in advance. For more information on the competition, please send an e-mail to agriman@doae.go.th.

The Orchid Pavilion is open everyday for the visitors of the “Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006.” Admission tickets are available online at www.royalfloraexpo.com. For more information, please e-mail to info@royalfloraexpo.com.

For more information:
Mr. Ekachon Worapatrahirunyamas
Project Management Office
For Event Operations, Activities, and Communications
Mobile: +66 1837 6442
Fax: +66 53 114 009
E-mail: ekachon@royalfloraexpo.com