Thailand government warns of jail time for selling unripe durian

It’s durian season in Thailand, and the government is reminding farmers and vendors that they can go to jail for harvesting and selling unripe durian. Yes, they said jail. There’s even a minimum level of dryness of the fruit’s flesh set by Thai authorities to determine the freshness of each variety.

Durian is known as the “king of fruit” with a pungent smell so strong that it is banned at many hotels and even Bangkok’s MRT mass transit system. While ripe durian has a unique taste with a rich custard texture, unripe durians with pale flesh do not taste good.

Selling unripe durian carries a penalty of up to three years in jail and a fine of up to 60,000 baht as it deceives the buyer about the quality of the fruit, according to Thailand’s Penal Code. Those selling unripe durians can also face charges under the Consumer Protection Act which prohibits sellers from…