Harvesting Birds nests in the South

[Jaime]

Saw this really interesting photo commentary on birds nest harvesting in Pattani:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/asia_pac_harvesting_birds0_nests/html/1.stm
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"The man who never made a mistake never did bugger all" - Old Welsh proverb

"Why limit yourself to the death of a crummy celery stalk when you can eat a giraffe?" - PWEETA

[STEVE G]

Jaime’s photo commentary;
Two species of swiftlet have edible nests. They make them from a special secretion from their salivary glands.

Hi Jaime, that’s an interesting industry they have going on down South. What I would like to know is who first decided that nests would make a tasty snack! How many things had they already tried, and discarded, before they got to swift spit.

[prcscct]

That stuff is gold with the Chinese. Had a friend from HK visit many years ago, about 1997, and we went to the market here to buy some. I think a small package cost around 4,000 baht. About enough "stuff" in the package to make soup for two people. I had a Thai old friend buy it so we didn't get ripped off, we hid during the negotiation.

When I visited Pi Pi years ago, I think Pi Pi lek (the smaller of the two and no tourists) was exclusive for harvesting bird nest. Many above water caverns and bamboo ladders all over. What has happened since the tsunami I don't know. Pete