National Corn and Sorghum Research Center

Open Days: Monday – Friday

Opening Hours: 08.00 – 16.30

 

The National Corn and Sorghum Research Center in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, widely known as Suwan Farm, is one of Thailand’s most important agricultural research and learning centers. It is located at 298 Moo 1, Klang Dong Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30320, beside Mittraphap Road around kilometer marker 155. The center is part of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, and combines several roles in one place: crop research station, student training farm, technology transfer center, seed production area, academic service center, study-visit destination, and popular stop for sweet corn products on the main route between Bangkok, Pak Chong, Khao Yai, and Nakhon Ratchasima.

 

For international visitors, Suwan Farm is more than a roadside sweet corn stop. It is a practical example of applied agricultural research in Thailand. Visitors can see how academic research, seed production, crop improvement, farmer training, product development, and public outreach are connected. A bottle of sweet corn milk, a boiled corn cob, or a packet of corn seed sold here is not merely a product. It represents a long process of research, field trials, selection, seed quality control, production management, and the transfer of knowledge from researchers to farmers and the wider public.

 

The history of the center is closely linked with the development of modern agricultural education in Thailand. The area was originally known as Thana Farm, formerly associated with Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat. In 1965, Kasetsart University received the land from the Treasury Department under the Ministry of Finance and established it as an agricultural student training station named Suwan Vajokkasikit Agricultural Student Training Station, in honor of Luang Suwan Vajokkasikit, the first rector of Kasetsart University. The name Suwan Farm therefore carries institutional and historical meaning, not simply a commercial identity.

 

In 1966, the Rockefeller Foundation supported the Inter-Asian Corn and Sorghum Program. Kasetsart University, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, used this station as the center for research and development on corn and sorghum. The National Corn and Sorghum Research Center was later established on 22 October 1969. From that point onward, Suwan Farm became a major research base for economic field crops in Thailand and gained recognition among agricultural researchers, students, extension officers, and farmers both in Thailand and abroad.

 

The center covers approximately 2,589 rai. Its landscape lies on a limestone foothill area about 360 meters above sea level, with Pang Asok Mountain running through the site. The front area facing Mittraphap Road covers about 1,389 rai and is used mainly for research trial plots that can receive irrigation throughout the year from groundwater. The area behind the mountain covers about 1,200 rai and is used for seed production and the seed production factory. This division of land shows that the center was designed not only for demonstration, but also for full-scale research, crop production, seed management, and academic operations.

 

The natural conditions of the center are suitable for field crop research. The soil belongs to the Pak Chong soil series, with reddish-brown clay loam characteristics and good drainage. The area has a tropical agricultural climate with an annual average temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius, strong winds, high average relative humidity, and rainfall that supports field crop production. These conditions make the center an important place for studying corn, sorghum, and other field crops under real tropical farming conditions.

 

The research work of the center covers corn breeding, sorghum research, field testing, seed production, seed quality control, seed processing, cultivation technology, student training, and agricultural extension. Corn is one of Thailand’s major economic crops, used as food, animal feed, and industrial raw material. A specialized research center helps ensure that corn production in the country is supported by scientific knowledge rather than relying only on trial and error. This makes Suwan Farm an important part of Thailand’s agricultural development infrastructure.

 

Among general travelers, Suwan Farm is best known for its sweet corn and corn-based products. The product shop sells fresh sweet corn, boiled sweet corn, sweet corn milk, canned sweet corn, sweet corn ice cream, corn soft serve, and corn seed products. These products allow the public to experience agricultural research through taste and quality. For many Thai travelers, stopping at Suwan Farm to buy corn milk or boiled sweet corn has become part of the Mittraphap Road travel experience.

 

Sweet corn milk is one of the most memorable products associated with Suwan Farm. It is an excellent example of agricultural value addition. Instead of selling only fresh cobs, the farm transforms corn into a distinctive beverage that visitors can take home as a local product. This approach connects research, processing, branding, tourism, and consumer experience. It shows how a research station can communicate with ordinary visitors through products that are easy to understand, easy to buy, and strongly linked to place.

 

For people interested in agriculture, Suwan Farm offers more than a shopping stop. The trial plots and seed production areas represent the practical work behind improved crop varieties. Developing a crop variety takes time, repeated testing, data collection, selection, quality control, and field evaluation. The corn varieties used by farmers do not appear suddenly. They are the result of careful scientific work and field-based knowledge built over many years.

 

The center also plays a major role in training students from Kasetsart University. Practical training in a real agricultural research station is essential for agricultural education. Students can learn about soil, irrigation, seed, pests, diseases, field management, data collection, machinery, and the discipline required for experimental plots. This type of training builds agricultural professionals who understand both theory and field reality.

 

Technology transfer is another important function of the center. The word technology does not refer only to machines or advanced equipment. It includes practical methods, cultivation recommendations, seed quality systems, crop management techniques, disease and insect knowledge, post-harvest handling, and farmer-oriented guidance. When knowledge from research is transferred effectively, farmers can reduce risk, improve productivity, and produce crops with more confidence.

 

The location of Suwan Farm makes it unusually accessible. It sits directly on Mittraphap Road, one of the main highways connecting Bangkok with the Northeast. This allows the center to serve both academic visitors and ordinary travelers. People driving to Khao Yai, Pak Chong, Muak Lek, or Nakhon Ratchasima can easily stop for corn products, rest during the journey, or learn about the agricultural background of the place. Its visibility along the road helps agricultural research reach people who might not normally visit a research institution.

 

For families, Suwan Farm can be an easy introduction to crop science. Children may know corn as a snack, a drink, a canned product, or an ingredient in food, but a visit here can help them understand that corn begins as seed, grows in fields, requires care, and can be developed into many different products. This simple connection between food and farming is valuable because it helps young visitors respect farmers, researchers, and the work behind everyday food.

 

For international travelers, the center is useful for understanding tropical agriculture in Thailand. Many visitors know Thailand through rice fields, fruit orchards, markets, temples, and national parks. Suwan Farm adds another dimension by showing how modern agricultural research supports real crop production. It is especially interesting for visitors interested in food systems, crop science, seed production, agricultural innovation, and the relationship between universities and rural development.

 

The center is also a meaningful stop for travelers exploring the Pak Chong and Khao Yai area. Nearby attractions include Farm Chokchai, Wat Thep Phithak Punnaram, Dairy Home, PB Valley Khao Yai Winery, GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, and Khao Yai National Park. This makes Suwan Farm easy to include in a route that combines agriculture, food, nature, and regional culture. Visitors can begin with sweet corn and crop research, then continue to farms, temples, vineyards, restaurants, and mountain scenery.

 

Historically, Suwan Farm demonstrates how land can change from private farm to educational and research resource. The transformation from Thana Farm to a Kasetsart University training station and later into the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center shows how agricultural land can serve public knowledge, student training, farmer development, and national crop improvement. This history gives the site a deeper value than a typical tourist attraction.

 

The seed production area and seed factory are especially important. Seed is the foundation of field crop production. If seed quality is poor, farmers face problems from the beginning of the season. Good seed requires selection, purity control, germination testing, proper drying, processing, packaging, and distribution. This behind-the-scenes work may not be as visually dramatic as a corn field or a product shop, but it is essential to agricultural reliability and productivity.

 

The center also offers academic services and general facilities such as training, demonstration plot visits, exhibitions, meeting rooms, accommodation, and venue services. These services allow the center to function as a learning hub for different audiences: university students, researchers, farmers, government agencies, study groups, and general visitors. Suwan Farm is therefore not a closed research station. It is a place where knowledge can be shared, demonstrated, and applied.

 

Visitors who want to study the center in depth should contact the center in advance. Some areas are active research plots, seed production zones, or operational workspaces that require proper coordination. Advance contact allows the center to arrange suitable guidance according to the group’s purpose, whether the interest is corn breeding, sweet corn products, seed production, field crop research, or general agricultural learning.

 

Proper visitor etiquette is important. Visitors should not enter experimental plots without permission, pick corn or plants, touch research signs or equipment, litter, or interfere with field operations. Research plots may contain controlled experiments where small damage can affect results. Respectful behavior helps protect the value of the center as both a public learning site and an active research institution.

 

Getting There is convenient by private car. From Bangkok, take Mittraphap Road toward Pak Chong and Nakhon Ratchasima. The center is located around kilometer marker 155 in Klang Dong Subdistrict, Pak Chong District. From Nakhon Ratchasima city, travel along Mittraphap Road toward Pak Chong and Saraburi. The center is easy to spot as Suwan Farm, a well-known roadside agricultural stop. It is suitable for travelers heading to Khao Yai, Pak Chong, Muak Lek, or Bangkok.

 

Travelers without a private car can reach Pak Chong by bus, van, or train, then use local transport to reach Suwan Farm. However, a private car is more convenient because it allows visitors to combine Suwan Farm with Farm Chokchai, Wat Thep Phithak Punnaram, Dairy Home, PB Valley, GranMonte, or other Khao Yai attractions in one day. It also gives more flexibility for travelers who want to stop for products before continuing their journey.

 

A good travel route can be planned in several ways. Food-focused travelers may begin at Suwan Farm for sweet corn products, then continue to Dairy Home or Chokchai Steakhouse. Agricultural travelers may arrange a study visit in advance and spend more time learning about research and seed production. Nature-focused travelers may use Suwan Farm as a first stop before continuing toward Khao Yai. This flexibility makes the center useful for many types of visitors.

 

The time needed for a visit depends on the purpose. A quick product stop may take 30 minutes to 1 hour. A more meaningful visit that includes learning about the center, its history, products, and agricultural role may take 1.5 to 2 hours. Study groups should allow extra time for briefing, field observation, questions, and coordination with staff.

 

Overall, the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center has several layers of value. It is a national research center for corn and sorghum, a student training station, a technology transfer site, a seed production center, a roadside farm product destination, and a historical agricultural site connected with Kasetsart University. Few places can connect academic research, everyday food, tourism, and national agricultural development as clearly as Suwan Farm.

 

In summary, the National Corn and Sorghum Research Center, or Suwan Farm, is an essential agricultural learning destination in Nakhon Ratchasima. Its strengths include its history from Thana Farm, its 2,589-rai research landscape, corn and sorghum trial plots, seed production operations, student training role, academic services, sweet corn products, and easy access from Mittraphap Road. For travelers who want to understand Pak Chong beyond ordinary sightseeing, Suwan Farm offers a clear view of how Thai agricultural research becomes real products, real knowledge, and real impact for farmers and the public.

 

 

A: It is located at 298 Moo 1, Klang Dong Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima 30320, beside Mittraphap Road around kilometer marker 155.

 

A: For official contact and study-visit coordination, the center is open Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 16.30.

 

A: The name comes from Suwan Vajokkasikit Agricultural Student Training Station, named in honor of Luang Suwan Vajokkasikit, the first rector of Kasetsart University.

 

A: Visitors can see the agricultural research setting, product shop, sweet corn products, seed-related services, training facilities, and the broader role of the center in corn and sorghum research.

 

A: The center is operated by the Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University. The current acting director is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Patchareeya Boonkorkaew.

 

A: A quick stop for products may take 30 minutes to 1 hour. A more detailed study visit should allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours.

 

A: Travel by Mittraphap Road toward Pak Chong. The center is located around kilometer marker 155 in Klang Dong Subdistrict and is easiest to reach by private car.

 

A: Nearby places include Farm Chokchai, Wat Thep Phithak Punnaram, Dairy Home, PB Valley Khao Yai Winery, GranMonte Vineyard and Winery, and Khao Yai National Park.