ปากเกร็ดนครแห่งความสุข the city of happiness

23 PAKKRET The city of Happiness Second Area : Local traditions museum. A Thai style house was built in an area of 300 sq.meters and set up as a “Museum of Learning for Durians of Nonthaburi” which included exhibitions of the life history of The Princess Mother Somdech Phra Srinagarindra, information on the plants in the park, plants in 12 affiliated parks around the country, information of preservation of the genetic breed of durians, and local wisdom of the people of Nonthaburi. The exhibitions are presented in life-like images and also included the condition of areas in Nonthaburi that planted durians from the past to the present, as well as how the plantations can possibly affect the lives of the people of Nonthaburi. It also showcases the preservation of genetic breeds, methods in planting according to the local wisdom of each district, and the dissemination of knowledge to children and the youth in the community. The Museum will open to the public in 2017. Third Area : The Durian Orchard. The land area was developed in terms of the quality of soil brought in from provincial land. The orchard was plowed into 6 lanes according to the methods used by locals. Sixty breeds of durian were selected and planted in different areas using local wisdom. The durians were planted alternately with mangosteens and bananas and an ecological water sewage system and fish breeding areas were built. The purposewas to check on the quality of water through the natural method of planting grass to prevent the receding of soil in the orchard. Nonthaburi Province planted 26 breeds in the initial phase in May 2014 and in the second phase in May 2015, planted 24 breeds. The timing was most suitable for the planting. Of the 60 breeds, today the durians have grown into trees as high as 1-2 meters. The soil in the orchard are of high quality and suitable for continued durian planting. To ensure the sustainability of the project as a learning center according to the local wisdom of the people of Nonthaburi, the Provincial Administrative Organization and Pakkret Municipality held activities for children and youth so that the community will recognize the value of durians in the future. Preserving durians at the park will not only serve as a source of information on the local wisdom of orchard farmers and the community which may otherwise be lost, it is also a proof of the cooperation of various sectors in Nonthaburi on joint preservation efforts of durian breeds, as well as a promotion of the Suan Somdech Phra Srinagarindra Park as a unique park and valuable source of information and learning in the years to come.