Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The million baht crayfish
Jan. 31, 2017
Crayfish sets price record after seafood restaurant owner becomes obsessed with unique colouring & bids 100,000, 500,000 & finally 1 million for it.
A 28-year-old crayfish breeder in Nakhon Pathom has sold a live ornamental crayfish for 1 million baht.
He sold the crayfish to a restaurant owner setting a record for the local breeding trade and probably even a world record.
THE RECORD-SETTING CRAYFISH
The record-setting crayfish is named Chao Khun Chang.
He an ornamental Procambarus Clarkii Ghost crayfish
Chao Khun Chang is a six-month-old freshwater crustacean with a unique and eye-catching brownish red colour.
This unique breed of crayfish was developed by Mr Kanokphum Siriwat, who has tried to create his own signature with the crayfish's colours.
OBSESSED WITH A UNIQUELY COLOURED CRAYFISH
Chao Khun Chang was raised on the Ban Pa Crayfish Clarkii Ghost farm in Nakhon Pathom’s Kamphaeng Saen district, owned by Mr. Kanokphum.
On Monday, Chao Khun Chang was sold to Prathan Lianpanich, owner of an Isan food restaurant in the same district.
The restaurant owner Mr Prathan apparently became obsessed with the crayfish's unique colouring.
The restaurant owner had offered to buy the crayfish twice over the past three months offering first 100,000 baht and then 500,000 baht.
Mr Kanokphum said he had turned him down two times.
He finally decided to sell the crayfish after Mr Prathan, who is a crayfish lover, proposed 1 million baht before the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The prices of ornamental crayfish usually start at 100 baht each and the maximum price is usually 100,000 to 200,000 baht.
PLANS TO BREED MORE OF THE COLOURFUL BREED OF CRAYFISH
Mr Kanokphum said he gave Mr Prathan a female breeder called Sida with 300 babies.
Each baby Ghost crayfish could be sold at 2,000 baht a piece.
Mr Prathan said Chao Khun Chang was very rare and he was impressed by its unique colours and markings.
Mr. Prathan planned to breed Chao Khun Chang and Sida.
He believes the little crayfish would bring good fortune to his restaurant business.
