STORY: :: A Thai farmer transforms rice fields into vibrant murals inspired by recent floods

:: January 11, 2025

:: Ban Khon Sung, Thailand

:: Tanyapong Jaikham, Section manager and amateur farmer

"The artist designed the artwork based on the concept we created this year. Then, we used AI (artificial intelligence) to help plot and define the outlines. After that, we used GPS to mark the coordinates on the ground before sketching and placing scaled wooden stakes, connecting them with ropes to achieve the desired positions. Finally, we planted different varieties of rainbow rice, resulting in our envisioned image."

:: Tamon Kumkeaw, Tourist

"Seeing it now, I feel so touched and happy. I can't believe our Ngio Sub-district has developed this much. In the future, if I'm at the shop, I'll definitely encourage people to visit here, our hometown. It's truly unique--with variegated rice and a variety of colours, like the pastel purple rice, which I absolutely love. It's so beautiful."

Spread across around five acres, the artwork is designed by Tanyapong Jaikham, a full-time factory worker and part-time farmer.

Tanyapong's artwork was inspired by the severe flooding in Chiang Rai and northern Thailand.

He chose the dragon to mark the end of the Lunar New Year, paired with the local Four-Eared, Five-Eyed Feline Deity. At the bottom of the rice field, he depicted dogs and cats trapped in floodwaters, waiting for help.

Tanyapong and his team started the process of creating the artwork last October. They planted various rice varieties using around 20 kilograms (45 pounds) of rainbow rice seeds.