Thai name: Ma-la-ko
Season: all year
Originally a native of Mexico, the papaya has been grown in Southeast Asia since the 16th century and the long yellow or orange fruit, rich in Vitamins A and C, is a well-established component of Thai cuisine. In perhaps its most popular use, green papayas are sliced into thin strips and ground together with dried shrimp, garlic, and hot chilies to produce a fiery salad called som tam. The ripe fruit is often eaten with a few drops of freshly squeezed lime juice.
Papaya
Thai Fruit
The Sirinat National Park on the northwestern coast was established in 1981 and protects an area of 90 square kilometres (35sqmi) (68 kilometres (42mi) marine area), including the Nai Yang beach where sea turtles lay their eggs.