Leeches turn into cash crop as villagers supply 'dried leeches' to traditional medicine market in China
Published date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:35 +0700Leeches have become an unlikely cash crop for villagers in northeast Thailand who are exporting them to China.
Residents spend the rainy season scouring ponds and other stagnant bodies of water for the sought-after bloodsuckers, which are used in traditional medicine in the neighbouring country.
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Details
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Nakhon Phanom, Thailand |
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24/06/2026 |
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Partner Agency |
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VRP180482 |
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Duration: 03:49 |
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Rating: News safe |
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leeches thailand china traditional medicine exports rural income monsoon season leech hunting agriculture hirudin anticoagulant cardiovascular health herbal remedies trade nakhon phanom blood circulation stagnant water livestock economy wildlife harvesting |
