Rice fields turned into art in northern Thailand

A two-acre paddy field in northern Thailand has been transformed into an artwork depicting a dragon and a cat, symbols of hope and resilience as the community recovers from floods.

The farm owner, Tanyapong Jaikham, told AFP that the cat represents the residents of his hometown Chiang Rai who faced devastating floods during last year's monsoon season.

The dragon, last year's zodiac symbol, is shown protectively holding the cat.

Tanyapong, himself an autombile engineer, collaborated with 20 other people including friends and family to create the design -- using AI technology and satellite imagery -- with rice plants as the main medium.

Requiring meticulous planning and execution over the span of a month, the artwork cost him around 500,000 baht ($14,500) to create.

"The art required great attention to detail, so we had to be very careful," Tanyapong told AFP.

"But with the help of today's technology, it became easier."

The artwork was opened to the public in late December, "but we are not ready for many visitors", he said.