Fruits growing in Thailand ~ Travel Pictures
Durian (thurian), papaya, pommelo, tamarind, bananas
On a day trip along Thailand's River Kwai, our guide stopped to point out a number of trees laden with fruits that were growing near the trail - pommelo, durian (also called thurian), bananas, papaya, and tamarind. I include them here to give an idea of the variety of fruits available in Thailand. This area is about four hours travel north of Bangkok, Thailand. I traveled to this area to see Hellfire Pass. This peaceful, rural area is a welcome respite from big cities. A few days before, I'd visited the Floating market and Thai cultural shows, including wood and vegetable carvers. Traveling to Thailand? Find Bangkok hotels here.
Pommelo Fruits Almost Ready for Picking 
Pommelos have a very thick rind -- up to one inch thick -- that makes fruit appear much larger than what you actually get when you peel it.
The somewhat tart flavour is almost like grapefruit, but it tends to be sweeter.
Pommelos are also called Chinese grapefruit, shaddock, pumelo, pummelo, and pompelmous, which is why you might see it spelled different ways.
This citrus fruit is native to Thailand and other Asian countries.
According to Chinese folklore, pommelo symbolizes prosperity and good fortune.
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Papaya growing near River Kwai Thailand
Papayas on the 'tree'. Though native to Mexico and Hawaii, the papaya is actually a herb, though one that grows very fast, and very tall for a herb, and grows in most tropical countries around the world.
The Hawaii variety grows up to six inches long; the Mexican variety, up to 24 inches long.
(If your supermarket sells papaya in large, wrapped sections, the fruit is most likely from Mexico.
Papaya is the source of papain, a meat tenderizer used because its enzyme action breaks down the tissue.
This enzyme action also makes it a good meat based stain remover.
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Bananas by the Bunch in Thailand Fruit Orchard
And bananas on the tree. Most hotel breakfast buffets offer a good selection of fresh local fruits (except durian).
Look for the small, sweet bananas, and take one or two with you for a nice snack when you're touring about the towns.
They won't last long in a backpack in the heat, so don't forget that you have them. In Bangkok, I had one of the best dinners ever at the Manhattan Hotel.
Here's the post from my travel blog about the meal:
Sweet & Sour Chicken ($8 Canadian)
Chunks of hand cut chicken breast sauteed then simmered in a tomato-based sauce of chunky fresh pineapple, green and red peppers (capsicum), celery and green onions, served over a mound of fluffy Thai rice.
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Ripe Tamarind Pods atop tamarind tree Thai Fruits
The tamarind pods (shown in the picture at the ends of the branches) ripen and fill with a brown edible pulp.
Tamarind's sweet-and-sour flavor is used in many Asian dishes.
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Durian (Thurian) Typical Fruits of Thailand and Asia
Known in Thailand as thurian, durian, this fruit, when cut, supposedly smells like rotting meat.
Or Limburger cheese. Or unwashed feet.
In any event, it smells bad. But cut it open (holding your nose, of course), and enjoy the creamy, tasty fruit.
Some claim durian is an aphrodisiac.
In Canada, whole durians are sold frozen, not fresh.
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