BANGKOK 2007, The 20th Asian International Stamp Exhibition is the third Asian international philatelic exhibition hosted by Thailand after such exhibitions in 1989 and 2000.

It is organized by Thailand Post Co. Ltd. in cooperation with Philatelists Association of Thailand under the patronage of Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP) and the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP). This event will be held from 3 to 12 August 2007 at Siam Paragon, the largest shopping complex in Thailand.
The common objective of BANGKOK 2007 is to promote and dissemate the value of stamps. In this occation, on 3 August 2007 Indonesia issues special stamps depicting on of the recently most popular flowers among plant enthusiasts, Nepenthes sp (in Indonesia: Kantung Semar). Indonesia is home to more than seventy percent of the known Nepenthes species in the world.

Nepenthes

Popularly known as Tropical Pitcher Plants or Monkey Cups, the Nepenthes are a genus of carnivorous plants in the monoltypic family Nepenthaceae that comprises roughly 116 species. The name 'Monkey Cups' refers to the fact that monkeys have been observed drinking rainwater from these plants. They are vine forming plants of the Old World tropics, ranging from South China, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines; westward to Madagascar (2 species) and the Seychelles (1); southward to Australia (3) and New Caledonia (1); and nortward to India (1) and Sri Lanka (1). The greatest diversity occurs on Kalimantan and Sumatra Islands with many endemic species. Many plants of hot humid lowland areas, but the majority are tropical montane plants.

In Indonesia, these decidous climber plants have different names such as periuk monyet (Riau), kantong beruk (Jambi), ketakung (Bangka), sorok raja mantri (West Java), ketupat napu (Dayak Katingan), telep ujung (Dayak Bakumpai) and selo begongong (Dayak Tunjung).

Nepenthes is categorized as carnivorous plant that lives both on soil (terrestrial) or stick on other trees (epiphyte) on the infertile land, particulary lack of nitrogen. Nepenthes leave's tip is deformed and functioned as a trap for insects and other small animals. Tha plants usually consist of a shallow root system and a prostrate or climbing stem, often several metres long, and usually 1 cm or less in diameter. From the stems arise leaf-like expaned petioles, ending in a tendril, which in some species aid in climbing, and at the end of which forms the pitcher, considered the true leaf. The pitcher starts as a small bud and gradually expands to form a globe or tube-shapped trap.

The trap contains a fluid which is used to drown the prey. The lower part of the trap contains glands which absorb nutrients from captured prey. Surrounding the entrance to the trap is a structure which is slippery and often quite colorful, attracting prey but offering an unsure footing. Plants may contain several different types of pitchers, lover traps which typically sit on the ground usually are larger and more round, hanging pitchers are more funnel-shapped, usually smaller and may be colored differently.

Included in Nepenthaceae family and Magnospolida class, Nepenthes is divided into three types according to height level of its habitat, i.e. low land (0-400 metre asl), medium land (500-1,000 metre asl) and high land (above 1,000 metre asl). Requiring intensive sun shining, weather temperature around 23 to 31 Celcius degree, and humidity around 50 to 70%, this plant can be propagated by cutting, seed and tissue culture. In its natural habitat, continued existence of nepenthes is threatened by estate crop, forest plantation and mining.

Source: BANGKOK 2007 The 20th Asian International Stamp Exhibition leaflet