Pawat Seritrakul
And so begins a most fruitful career
Dr Pawat Seritrakul is a very driven, intelligent young man who, in his mid- 30s, is just beginning to savour the fruits, and organically farmed vegetables, of his many years of study. Having received his doctorate in Cell and Molecular Biology in the United States of America after 11 years of study there in the states of Maine, Texas and Pennsylvania, Pawat has returned to his roots in Thailand to pass on his knowledge lecturing at Silpakorn University in Petchaburi. He acknowledges the benefits of a secure job and sees a long and continuing career for himself in the higher education sector, yet at the same time knows deep in his heart that there is more in store for him. I have to admit I was delighted when Josephine Rangson, my last interviewee, recommended me a man, and a Thai man at that, for my next subject in the “People of Hua Hin” series.
Dr Pawat is truly a dichotomy. He is Thai at the core, but there is a thick veneer of Westerner that has been laid by his long, hard years of international study. Indeed, he explained that he finds expressing himself in everyday situations much easier in English than in Thai. Born and raised in a family comprising many teachers in Bangkok, he developed a profound interest in the sciences as a young man. After middle school, he chose to pursue his senior school education in a specialist science school, which although it nurtured his growing love of all things scientific, did not fully meet his social needs as a teenager. Given the same opportunities again, in mature hindsight, Pawat might now make different choices in relation to finishing his school career.
At just 15 years of age, Pawat left the family home to finish his secondary education in a boarding school and this separation from his family necessitated him developing a self-reliance and self-belief that remains an integral part of his personality today. He has high expectations of himself and will do everything within his power to achieve the goals he sets.
Heading towards a year ago now, he established his initial foray into the world of business, with the opening of Farm-A-Jarn, a practical way to apply his learning in daily life. It was something his teenage self would not have expected. Back then, he had his eye on becoming a pilot and owning his own plane. His farm now spans two properties, one in Hua Hin, the other in Cha-am, and supports a business with three main arms: produce sales, garden consultation services and garden space rental. Pawat is a man of vision, and has numerous ideas about consolidation and future expansion of the business. Since he also lectures in genetics and animal breeding and husbandry, it seems natural that the next addition to his business is likely to be the production of chickens, both for eggs and meat. He has a particular interest in researching chicken growth in a variety of situations and has found marked differences in genes and DNA expression in chickens raised in what he terms “the proper way”, which is very different to the inhumane treatment of many animals in the global livestock industry. Another innovation is Farm-A-Jarn’s involvement in local events such as Conscious Day. But my favourite of his ideas for expansion has to be the “rent a goat” plan for natural land clearing, though this is likely to be quite a few years off yet.
At present, Farm-A-Jarn, which was established on land owned by Pawat’s parents in Cha-am, is run by a small but dedicated team. Pawat takes a very personal responsibility for its operation, and is certainly not above taking a hands-on approach and so getting his hands dirty. His partner Mia, a digital map creator and a proudly Vietnamese woman, is very business savvy and is responsible for customer service, digital marketing, sales and accounting. Pawat’s parents take a keen interest in the farm, although they split their time between Cha-am and Bangkok. Besides this family support and input, Pawat has just a sole full-time employee.
On the day I interviewed Pawat to write this article, he had been busy in the morning with a “Walk in Sunday”, with a variety of European greens, figs, tomatoes and butternut squash ready for purchase. He finds that although his initial business plan was firmly targeted at expats, now a significant percentage of his produce customers are Thai, particularly couples with young children who are looking to show their children exactly where good food comes from. Indeed, one meaning of the term “Jarn” in Thai is “dinner plate”. Pawat was impressed during his American studies by the “Farm to Fork” focus that is still missing in Thailand, where a significant percentage of daily food staples, even chili, is imported from China, unbeknown to the average consumer. Educating the populace about the providence of their food, and how to buy or grow nutritious, sustaining food, will always be a priority for Dr Pawat. And he has become very proficient at using social media such as Facebook, as well as a purpose-built farm website, https://farmajarn.com/, to promote and grow his business. Pawat will admit he can’t live without the internet.
Virtually all of his garden space rental clients are from the extensive expat community to be found locally. These customers are looking to grow and consume organically farmed fruit and vegetables, with some assistance from an expert. And Dr Pawat and his team provide a full-service garden space which can include as little or as much assistance as you personally require, based on your location and needs. All the customers love the opportunity to harvest their produce directly from their own garden.
Farm-A-Jarn was one of the first producers of figs in the Hua Hin/Cha-am area. In earlier times, the only figs grown in Thailand were produced by a Royal Project in Chiang Mai. Very popular with Europeans, and Australians I might add, figs are a tricky crop to grow in the humid climate of this area of the Royal Coast, but are highly prized. Indeed, Pawat is aware that many Bangkokians stop by Farm-A-Jarn on their way home after a long weekend away, just to grab their fig fix.
Outdoor pursuits are treasured by Pawat, who developed a real love of the natural environment while in the United States. He loves hiking on walking trails through the wilderness and cites Acadia National Park in Maine, as his favourite place in the entire world. It is an Atlantic coast recreation area on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, marked by woodland, rocky beaches and glacier-scoured granite peaks such as Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the United States’ East Coast. Among the wildlife in the park are moose, bear, whales and seabirds.
Pawat’s current home in Hua Hin also gives him easy access to both the beach and the mountains, and he has a particular love of the sea, having brought a stand-up paddle board all the way home from the US with him. Unfortunately, in the short term, his loaded schedule sees him using it only once a month or so. Another plus for Pawat is that Hua Hin hosts a diverse international community that allows him to feel comfortably- at-home, having spent over 30% of his life outside Thailand.
Like most scientists worldwide, Pawat in concerned about the impact human beings have had, and are having, on our world. He questions the need for any population increase, and for now is content with his immediate family numbering just 3, including his lovely partner and their adorable dog Friday, who came from Rescue Paws in Khao Tao.
I almost had Dr Pawat stumped when I asked him for just three words to describe himself. After several minutes self-reflection, something he has a habit of doing a bit too often and usually too self-critically, he came back with these choices: philosophical, systematic and artistic. His last choice was not anticipated. He tells me that as a young man he was very keen on artistic pursuits such as drawing and painting, as well as photography and printmaking which he studied at college, but now has little time to follow these interests. However, when he is inspired, he can still summon these creative talents and put them to good use in designing publicity and website materials or in decision-making related to his business.
The future looks bright indeed for Dr Pawat. He has enormous achievements for one so young, and has numerous plans for his future. He wants to find ways to increase the amount of personal leisure time he can enjoy with his partner, to learn kite-surfing from a friend who is an expert in the sport, and to travel to Alaska, amongst other things. Pawat also wants to learn to be more mellow, to be less intense and fierce in his interpersonal relationships. But these are things that come with age. Pawat has learning, wisdom and maturity rare in one so young, but age is something he will just have to wait for, like everyone else.
I certainly wish him well. He drew the analogy of himself as a tree. As a mere sapling, he was uprooted from Thailand and transplanted in the unfamiliar soil of America, having to adapt and develop resilience along the way. He has quite recently had to undergo the same transplantation event, but this time in reverse and as a more established tree. The soil of Thailand contains the very essence and warmth of his family, yet feels somehow vaguely uncomfortable and challenging in this phase as his roots attempt to re-establish themselves firmly. Dr Pawat is hardy, he will undoubtedly prevail.
First published in huahin.locality.guide on September 16, 2022