Ban Nong Khao ครูจันทนา คำอนุกูล

Ban Nong Khao is a village in Tha Maung District, Kanchanaburi Province. It takes only 12 kilometres from Kanchanaburi town. Ban Nong Khao is famous for weaving cloths, with good quality product, and are called “One hundred colors loin cloths”.

Ban Nong Khao’s people are cultural with aneasy life. Specifically, the women are diligent and patient. Main career of them is the doing paddy farm. When they cease to do paddy farm, the women usually weave for making a dress, clothing and utensils. They bring the others to sell these products to increase their family’s income.

What to see in Ban Nong Khao The Vihara of the Buddha Image in the posture of accepting offerings from an elephant and a monkey in Indraram Temple.

The old Vihara was rebuilt instead of former one which was destroyed in the war between Thailand and Burma (Myanmar at present) in the reign of Ayutthaya.

The Vihara houses the Buddha image in the posture of accepting offerings from an elephant and a monkey (Luang Phu Tow), with the base size of 2 meters and height of 7.50 meters, the Buddha image was created with ancient cement and bamboo structure. All local people in Baan Nong Khao pay homage to the Buddha image and annually hold a worship ceremony during Songkran festival.

The culture yard is a tourist place to perform a light and sound folk drama entitled “Mr. Boon & Thong of Ban Nong Khao”. It was first performed in 1998 (B.E.2541) to show unity of Ban Nong Khao local people in seriously conserving culture. The folk drama consists of local plays, folk song and traditions, e.g. a rice growing ceremony, Songkran festival and folk song singing called “Yoei”.( เพลง เหย่ย ) As a result, new generations of local people are proud of them and love their community.

Grandmother’s pots come from the ancestors’ belief. A small human-like wax will be placed in the pot to represent the ancestor. This will help protect the offspring and make them happy.

It marks family ties, paying respect and expresses love to their ancestors. The grandmother’s pots will be brought by a married person to place at their spouse’s houses.

Palm trees are popular among rice growers to plant at the edges of rice fields. They can earn extra income from their products. In January, heads of families will climb the trees and bring palm sugar juice for sale in the community, while housewives are making round cake palm sugar for seasoning food in the future.