King Bhumibol tulip blooms in Chiang Mai for first time (video)

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Flower lovers visiting the Royal Park Rajapruek in Chiang Mai province in Thailand’s north have the opportunity this year to view a new breed of tulip created in honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The King Bhumibol tulip.

The long stemmed King Bhumibol tulip was created by Klaas Koedijk, a Dutch tulip grower and owner of FA. P. Koedijk & Zn, who visited Thailand in 2006 during celebrations for the Thailand King’s 60th anniversary of accession and was impressed by the affection people showed for their king.

After returning to the Netherlands Mr Koedijk commenced work on cultivating the tribute species after imagining a field of yellow headed tulips similar in colour to the yellow shirts worn by many Thais each Monday in honour of the day on which the king was born.

Featuring a 45cm long stem and a buttery-yellow flower, the King Bhumibol tulip was developed from the Prince Claus tulip, itself developed from the Judith Leyster tulip, one of the Netherlands most popular varieties of tulips.

In August 2009 the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary granted permission for the new tulip species to be named the King Bhumibol tulip SuwannaphoomShow

After creating the tall-standing yellow species Mr Koedijk wrote to Thailand’s King and requested permission to name the species in his honour. In August 2009 the Office of His Majesty’s Principal Private Secretary announced that royal consent had been granted for the new tulip species to be named the King Bhumibol tulip.

Though bulbs were first sent to Thailand in 2009 and planted in Chiang Mai’s Royal Agricultural Station at Doi Inthanon, unstable weather conditions prevented many of the King Bhumibol tulip’s from blossoming.

This year’s more stable weather has proved extremely conducive for the King Bhumibol tulip to reach its full potential. According to Tassanee Srimongkol, director of the Royal Park Rajapruek, visitors will be able to view the specially cultivated species up until the end of February as part of Flora Fest’ @ Royal Park Rajapruek.

Established in 2006 as part of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol’s accession to the throne, the Royal Park Rajapruek is open between 8am and 6pm daily with admission costing Bt100 (about US$3.26) for adults and Bt50 ($1.68) for children.

For more information contact the Royal Park Rajapruek on telephone 66 (0) 53 114110-5 or email [email protected] or [email protected]

 

 

Feature video SuwannaphoomShow

Feature photo Painaidii

 

 

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John Le Fevre is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer and editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Most recently he was the Thailand editor/ managing editor of AEC News Today . Prior to that he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.

Opinions and views expressed on this site are those of the author’s only. Read more at About me

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