Flora site ripening

Visitors inspect the yet unfinished Chiang Mai site of the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 festival, which millions are expected to attend in the three months from November 1

If I lived over in Thiland this is one event I`d definitely not want to miss! I got this information off the Thai Tourist Board website. The Orchid Pavilion sounds awesome.

GARDENS FOR THE KING
Path of Wisdom
His Majesty the King’s care and concern for the lives of the people, combined with His intimate knowledge and expertise in agriculture have resulted in the introduction and successful implementation of thousands of Royal Projects which have improved the quality of life for millions.

“Gardens for the King” which comprises “International Gardens” and “Corporate Gardens” will not only nourish the visitors’ eyes with cultural and horticultural beauty but will also enrich their minds with exotic cultures and knowledge of agricultural Royal Projects.


INTERNATIONAL GARDEN
This area is allocated for exhibitions of national blossoms, blooms, and horticulture as well as the cultural arts and architecture of 30 countries from around the world.

Each garden will reflect a historic diplomatic, cultural and trade ties between nations, people or, where possible, royal families of the two countries.


CORPORATE GARDEN
Each of the 80 gardens from state enterprises and domestic and international major corporations will utilize creative garden design to visually illustrate and commend a range of concepts, theories and ‘best practices’ behind Royal Projects initiated by His Majesty the King and which reflect His Majesty’s tremendous insight and ingenuity.


THAI TROPICAL GARDEN
The Way of Life
Encompassing an area of over a hundred thousands square meters, the “Thai Tropical Garden” is a colossal classroom that showcases the vast diversity in the way of life of tropical lands. Visitors will be able to witness first-hand an extensive variety of tropical horticulture encompassing fruits, plants, flowers and herbs.


EXPO PLAZA
The Way of Light
As visitors stroll down the path away from the leisurely ambience of the Expo Plaza, the center point of the exposition activities, amenities and services, towards the Royal Pavilion, they find themselves being drawn towards the majestic Royal Pavilion constructed in the exquisite Lanna architectural style.

The Royal Pavilion is located right in the heart of the event site. Inside, visitors will be held in awe by the countless ways in which the lives of the people have been positively affected by His Majesty the King’s works and dedication.


ORCHID PAVILION
Orchids of The World
A magnificent showcase of 50,000 orchid plants representing nearly 10,000 orchid species

• This spectacular and unprecedented display of orchids from around the world will showcase Thailand's potential as a global orchid centre. Over 50,000 orchid plants representing nearly 10,000 different native species, hybrid varieties, new as well as rare orchids will be on display.

• This will be also be the largest and, at 92 days, the longest-running orchid exhibition and competition ever held in Thailand.
• The Orchids of the World expo at the Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 International Horticultural Exposition is designed to demonstrate Thailand’s potential for being the orchid capital of the world, to promote the growth and development of the orchid industry; promote greater awareness of technological advances in orchid cultivation and production; and highlight Thailand’s success in Research and Development initiatives related to orchid cultivation and production.
• The Orchid Pavilion is being built on an area of 6,400 square metres to house a special exhibition of orchids, presented under the ‘Orchids of the World’ theme.

The Orchid Pavilion at the International Horticultural Exposition sets out to be a comprehensive world-class knowledge center for Orchid Cultivation.

Orchid Park
The Orchid Park is the largest of its kind ever created in Thailand. It has been specially designed to showcase a wide variety of exquisite orchids in surroundings that emulate closely their natural habitats.

The exhibition is being jointly organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Department of Agriculture and Horticultural Science Society of Thailand, along with the Ornamental Plants Association of Thailand, numerous orchid clubs and associations, educational institutions and other related government organizations. It is supported by the International Society for Horticultural Science and the World Flower Council.

Competitions
With the orchid exhibition lasting a full 92 days, the organizers have planned weekly orchid competitions. These include natural orchid gardens; landscaped orchid gardens featuring the innovative or imaginative use of orchids; potted orchids; and cut flowers. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, entries will be judged in accordance with internationally-recognized standards. This is the first time that international standards will be applied to judging orchids in Thailand.

One of the competitions will be live orchid arrangement in which entrants must use their creativity to design an arrangement of living orchid plants, either incorporated into a small natural garden setting or combined with other decorative objects in a free style arrangement. In other competitions, prizes will be awarded for the best potted orchids and the best cut flower arrangement using orchids.
These spectacular exhibitions and garden and flower competitions, as well as many other activities, will keep visitors entertained throughout the day. An average of 20,000 visitors per day, with over 100,000 visitors on a crowded day, and 2 million visitors in total are expected to attend Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006.
Apart from examples of floral, decorative and rare plants, plants of different species showcased by participants will also be on display.
Visitors will also be presented with ample opportunities to purchase products from the Royal Projects as well as excellent local handicrafts noted for their uniqueness and exceptional quality and for which there is considerable demand, worldwide.
In addition, several sections have been allotted for a variety of fun-filled activities that will be both informative and entertaining.
Local and international artists will organize seminars on topic relating to agricultural technology in a modern auditorium in the city of Chiang Mai, while the spacious arena for outdoor activities will serve as the venue for art and cultural exhibitions as well as performances.


GREATER LANNA
Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 is preparing to welcome visitors from around the world to Chiang Mai and the neighboring provinces that were once part of the ancient northern Thai kingdom of ‘Lanna -- land of a million fields’.
Chiang Mai’s mountainous landscape provides a picturesque natural setting for the festive celebrations staged during Royal Flora Ratchaphruek to mark the most auspicious occasions of the 60th anniversary or the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne in 2006 and the 80th Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty the King of Thailand in 2007.
A one-of-a-kind event, Royal Flora Ratchaphruek presents a wealth of opportunities for visitors to Thailand to experience the spell-binding natural and cultural splendor that represents the finest of ‘Lanna heritage’ that can still be found in Chiang Mai and further beyond in the Greater Lanna provinces. All offer a diverse choice of tourist attractions, particularly the many breathtaking horticultural and botanical gardens and parks that include Doi Tung -- home to the Mae Fah Luang Garden, Mae Fah Luang Arboretum on Doi Chang Mub mountain peak, the botanical gardens that are part of the Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park in Chiang Rai province and the Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens in Mae Sa.

A snapshot taken from the Bhutan Gardens in Chiang Mai which will be part of "Royal Flora" to be held in this northern province late October.

Photo by Pongmanat Tasiri

Here's the link to the official website 8)

http://www.royalfloraexpo.com/