Inside El Nino – Thailand's rice farming enters unfamiliar territory

As part of CGTN's special series Inside El Nino, this report turns to Thailand — one of the world's largest rice exporters — where a potential Super El Nino threatens to deliver intense heat and prolonged drought that could upend the country's most vital crop. In fields that have sustained generations of farmers and fed both local markets and global demand, increasingly erratic weather has already turned every planting season into a high-stakes gamble, with a single missed rain capable of wiping out months of work. Experts warn a Super El Nino could push the sector to a tipping point, with projected losses of around 5.4 million tonnes of unmilled rice — roughly 15% of production — and economic impacts exceeding 60 billion baht, raising serious concerns for food security, rural livelihoods and exports. Scientists are racing to develop water-saving, drought-resistant varieties that need 20–30% less water, but the question remains whether Thailand's farmers and food systems can adapt in time to an increasingly unpredictable climate. 03:38