Storm

A powerful summer storm swept across Khao Saming district of this eastern province on Friday afternoon, devastating at least ten durian orchards and causing initial damage worth more than one million baht.
The storm hit Moo 2 village in tambon Thung Nonsee between 2pm and 3.30pm, bringing intense winds that uprooted durian trees, sent nearly 10,000 fruits crashing to the ground, and damaged several homes.
Village chief Apichart Rattanawong said this year’s storms were very strong, with three of them hitting in succession, damaging house roofs, garages and cars, while some durian farmers were left with “the heaviest losses in years”.
“About ten trees were uprooted and between 5,000 and nearly 10,000 durians were lost,” he said, adding that authorities are coordinating assistance.
For many growers, the storm struck just weeks before the harvest.
Cherdchai Chaemchoi, 46, said the gusts were so violent his durian trees were nearly toppled. He estimated almost 1,000 fruits were damaged — mainly the Kradoom variety that was due for harvest around March 20, as well as large numbers of Monthong.
“We tied the fruit and supported the trees, but the wind was too strong. The trees were swinging so hard that nothing held,” he said.
“I’ve never experienced a storm this fierce before — it left me completely at a loss for what to do.”
Another grower, 72‑year‑old Boonyong Yucharoean, suffered some of the worst destruction, losing six uprooted trees and his entire near‑harvest crop.
“The fruit is still immature. You can’t eat it, can’t fry it, can’t even use it for ice cream. Everything that fell is wasted. All I can do is cut up the fallen trees and sell the wood.”
He believed shifting weather patterns were partly to blame. “I’ve used steel poles and wire supports, but the wind was stronger than anything we planned for.”
Ampha Hongngern, 60, said she had tied her Monthong durians earlier in the day, but the storm arrived before she could secure the entire orchard. She lost about 500 fruits, worth an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 baht.
“This was our first batch, meant to be harvested before Songkran,” she said.
Mr Apichart advised growers who are not affected yet to strengthen their trees and secure branches and fruit as soon as possible to reduce the damage from any incoming storms.