Making a killing from earthworms, geckos and leeches
Locals in a Nakhon Phanom village are earning millions of baht in revenue from a unique trade
In Nakhon Phanom province, a local community has carved out a distinctive livelihood, possibly unique in Thailand, by processing earthworms, geckos, and leeches to generate income.
This unconventional industry brings in hundreds of millions of baht annually to the Ban Tan village in Na Wa district.
In October, as the rainy season ebbs and the weather turns cooler, it becomes difficult to dry leeches, so the villagers shift their focus to collecting earthworms, which migrate to moist environments during winter.
Early mornings and nights are ideal for foraging in the forest, allowing the villagers to gather both red and black earthworms, named for their colour depending on soil conditions.
On fertile land during the cooler months, villagers can collect 10–20 kilograms of worms daily. They sell fresh worms at 30–40 baht per kilogram and dried ones at 500–600 baht per kilogram.
The processing involves cleaning and gutting the worms. The worms are then washed again, soaked in herbal bark water or alum to remove slime, and spread on drying racks under the sun for 1–2 days. Modern equipment, such as gutting machines priced at around 20,000 baht, has enhanced efficiency, allowing faster preparation before drying or smoking.
The area exports over 10 tons of dried earthworms annually, generating an estimated 50 million baht in revenue.
During the summer months, villagers turn to processing geckos, earning an additional 100–200 million baht annually, ensuring year-round income and reducing the need for locals to seek work elsewhere.
The dried earthworms, leeches, and geckos are primarily exported to China, where they are used as ingredients in traditional medicine. However, the availability of earthworms in the area has been declining in recent years, posing a challenge to this unique trade.
