The best of the bunch Most of the housewives in Rajchasarn district of the eastern province of Chachoengsao are small-time farmers. But when they joined together to produce preserved bananas last year, their names became known far and wide. Last September their kluay ob (baked banana) was served on Thai Airways International. The word was out and before they knew it people were going bananas for their nine products. And in recent months they have even been approached by a Thai company interested in exporting their products to Hong Kong and Singapore. lt all started with 10 banana trees said Chintana Tuncharoen, head of the Community Housewives of Rajchasarn district. In May 1998, the villagers in Chachoengsao answered their governors' call to grow 10 banana trees per household to carry out His Majesty the Kings advice on self-sufficiency, soon each household found they were producing more bananas than they could possibly eat The surplus was too little for but too to have them the market much much rot away," said Mrs Chintana.