Nong Bua Lamphu, Villagers flock to catch fish during the red water season (when water from the north flows into the dam) at the end of the Ubonrat Dam, generating income for both fishermen and vendors. The atmosphere is lively. At the fish-purchasing port in Ban Huai Bong, Tambon Non Muang, Amphoe Non Sang, Nong Bua Lamphu Province, which is an area along the Ubonrat Dam in Khon Kaen Province, during this period, water from the north flows into the dam. Locals call it the 'red water fish season', which has a lot of fish, making the area lively because locals flock to catch fish and bring them to sell, generating income of 500-1,000 baht per day. The fish caught by the villagers are silver barb, carp, snakehead fish, pla ga, catfish, striped catfish, pla na daen, pla nua on, pla khao, and many other types. The prices that merchants buy and sell to the villagers during this period are considered cheap. For example, silver barb, which is abundant in the dam, is popularly used to make pla som and pla ra, price d at 15 baht per kilogram. However, if the fish are scaled and gutted, they are sold at 30 baht per kilogram. Snakehead fish are bought at 100-120 baht per kilogram, pla wing 130 baht, pla nua on 150 baht, swai and striped catfish, which are hybrids between swai and megabasket, are bought at 40 baht per kilogram. Importantly, the villagers say that the fish in this season do not have a fishy smell like farmed fish and do not have much fat. As a result, merchants from both the area and other provinces, such as Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Khon Kaen, Loei, Bueng Kan, and Nong Bua Lamphu, have traveled to buy the fish to sell and process in large quantities. Source: Thai News Agency
