Some strong economic interests in Bansong include:
1. Agriculture
Surat Thani province is well-known for “Rambutan (Ngoh)” This colorful, hairy looking fruit is sweet and succulent. It’s easy to peel and easy to put in your mouth 
(but it has a big seed inside, so be careful). The most popular variety which well known throughout the country is “Kgoh Rong Rien”, and is originally from Surat Thani . During harvesting season (July-October), the town is full of beautiful vibrant red Rambutan fruit, and (for me) it’s a great season to visit, hand-pick the fruit (at a low price), and enjoy the calm and relaxing farming life style. Some other fruits that are also common in a region are Mango, Mangosteen, Langsad, Longong, Durian, Jackfruit and many more.
Even though Surat Thani is famous about Rambutan, most farmers don’t make a living from growing it due to its low price.
The plant which offers the greatest reward to the local farmers in Bansong and in the South part of Thailand is the rubber tree. You will literally see rubber tree plantations almost everywhere when you travel to the South of Thailand. Imagine the scenery while driving through the Midwest U.S. – row after row after row of corn. In South of Thailand it is the same exact thing, except with rubber trees!
Although the rubber tree is not native to the country, Thailand is one of the biggest exporters of rubber in the world.
Being a farmer and living my life in farm land was never what I envisioned myself doing in the past (it wasn’t considered cool at a time). Looking back, I can’t believe how much disdain I held for the farmer lifestyle in the past, and I’m not afraid to say that I’m ashamed about my immature attitude, but not anymore! Now, I have developed a deep appreciation and truly love and admire the strong work ethic and simplicity of this lifestyle.
Having a life very close to nature… what’s not to love, right? The greens, birds, flowers, blue sky…..etc.
2. Mining
Mining was very popular in the south at around 2516-2518 BC since many lands were discovered full of gypsum, tin, and some other minerals. This discovery made the South region of Thailand very popular, and many people traveled there to find their fortune.
At that time the most convenient form of transportation for people to travel and to do business around the country was by train. King Rama VI expanded the railroad well into the North as far as Chingmai, and into the South as far as PadungBaysa.
Bansong became a busy mining town in that era since it was rich with gypsum and its train station had been used to collect the mineral, and deliver it to its desired destination. Many adventurers from out of town stopped here to connect, to look for opportunity, and to gain more information about the mines.
I can remember seeing huge pile after huge pile after huge pile of gypsum that were very tall and they were very very white. This clearly explains why it was given the nickname “the mountain of snow”. When I was young, I loved to run up and down and play hide and seek in the mountains of gypsum. I have to tell you, it was a great playground for kids in my generation
3. Trading
At the end of mining era, Bansong was gradually becoming quiet, and the economy was slowing down for quite sometime. However, as more and more roads were built, the chief mode of transportation started to shift from trains to cars. As more people began to use cars, Bansong benefitted because its location was ideal for a highway. As a result, Bansong became a convenient destination for many of the people in the surrounding area to do business, spurring a rejuvenation of Bansong’s economy and activities.
Common industries in the area today include: real estate, trading, services, coffee shops, book stores, convenience stores, transportation, restaurants, photo stores, internet stores, beauty stores, salons…..etc.
Many thanks to:
1. 
Wicha Naratham : The author of Bansong’s story
2. 
Bai Tong : The first visitor who went after Wicha Naratham’s story and came back with a variety of beautiful pictures.
