Close to the Cambodian border, inside the Wat Bang Kradan temple there is a 200-year-old agarwood tree. Beside it is a military checkpoint; it is there to protect the tree.

Mahaffey is convinced the tree would produce kynam and, according to one of the monks of the temple, Japanese investors have offered $23m for the tree – which probably makes it the single most expensive tree in the world.

The holy agarwood tree

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