Come to Chokchai Farm in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 159km from Bangkok. A day trip will do. It is not one of the popular tourist attractions you find in the guide book, nor does it have anything to do with Thai traditional culture, but a nice and quiet place for a “close-up” of Thais in everyday interactions and observations of tourist/business management in modern Thailand.

At this dairy farm, you will have hands-on experience at the milking facility, the farming machineries, the petting zoo. You can stroll around the sunflowers fields, the dragon fruit plantation. Your highlight could very well be the cowboy show.  Yes, a cowboy show.

The farm was founded in 1957 from the vision of one man, Khun Chokchai Balakul, whose fascination with the western cowboy way of life led him to purchase 100 acres of forested land so he could be his own cowboy there.

‘Cowgirls’ as tour guides

Sunflowers fields

‘Cowboy’ prior to action

Have you seen anything like this plant before? Dragon fruit is originally from Việt Nam. It is very popular in Thailand now and growing very well there.

A cute dragon fruit growing sideway. There is no way to find out whether it is white or purple inside. You just have to know the variety it is.