Northeastern region (Thailand), view of fields and country road

This set of images of Thailand was acquired by the American Geographical Society from Robert Larimore Pendleton (1890 -1957), soil scientist and Professor of Geography at John Hopkins University. The pictures were taken during Pendleton's research visits to Thailand from the mid 1930s to 1950s. Pendleton served as agricultural adviser to the United Nations FAO Mission to Siam [Thailand] in 1947-1948 and as the soil scientist at the US Mutual Security Agency's Special Technical and Economic Mission to Thailand in 1952-1953.

Since this main north road to Udawn [Udon Thani] was opened through the formerly heavy forest, all but the largest trees in the foreground and middle distance have been cut and padi [paddy] grown under them. Long before, padi [paddy] had been grown regularly on the lower lands showing light colored stubble between the bodies of forest in the distance. On higher land which cannot be flooded, sugar can [cane] has been grown. It was crushed in the country-style mill in the right foreground, where the white field is the bagasse [begasse, sugar cane fiber] drying for fuel. Northern Korat region, Northeastern T'ailand. January 1951.

Grayscale