The Martial art of Muay Thai has its own unique techniques. It consists of the use of nine weapons. The head, fists, elbow, knee and feet are collectively known as Na-wa arwud. But today the use of head is no longer allowed in the Muay Thai fights. In Muay Thai small amount of grappling is used (The Clinch) for both defending and attacking purpose. Muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups: Mae Mai or Major techniques and Luk mai or Minor techniques. All techniques in Muay Thai use the entire body movement, rotating the hip partially or fully with every punch, kick and block. This is the reason which sets Muay Thai apart from other forms of martial art.

Punching Techniques: ( Chok)

Straight punch = Mud Dhrong

Hook = Mud Wjang San

Swing = Mud Wjang Yao

Spinning Back fist = Mud Wjang Glab

Upper Cut = Mud Seub

Cobra Punch = Kra-Dod Chok

Over Head Punch = Mud Khouk

The judges in Muay Thai fights scores less to the fighters for the punching techniques as they are generally less effective and powerful than kicks or knee strikes. Body punching is also used less in Muay Thai as it exposes the fighters head to the strikes of knee or elbow from the opponent.

Elbow Techniques: (Dhee Sork)

Elbow Slash = Sork Dhee

Horizontal Elbow = Sork Dhad

Upper Cut Elbow = Sork Ngad

Forward elbow Thrust = Sork Poonk

Reverse Horizontal elbow = Sork wjang Glab

Spinning Elbow = Sork Glab

Elbow Chop = Sork Sap

Double Elbow Chop = Sork Glab Koo

Mid Air Elbow Strike = Gra-Dode Sork

The elbow is used in seven ways in Muay Thai, horizontally, diagonal upwards, diagonal downwards, uppercut, downward, backward spinning and flying. The elbow is also used from the sides as a finishing move or to cut the opponents’ eyebrow so that he bleeds. Bleeding blocks the vision and also affects the fighter’s performance.

Kicking Techniques: (Dhe)

Straight Kick = Dhe Dhrong

Nutcracker Kick = Dhe Paa Maak

Round house Kick = Dhe Dhad

Diagonal Kick = Dhe Chivang

Half-spin, half knee kick = Dhe Krueng Kheng Krueng Kao

Spinning hill Kick = Dhe Glab Lang

Down Round house kick = Dhe Kod

Axe Hill Kick = Dhe Khouk

Jump kick = Gra-Dode Dhe

Step Up Kick = Yiep Dhe

The most common kick in Muay Thai are Foot Jab (Theep) and the Kick (Tae), upward in the shape of a triangle targeting the ribs and arms (Chieng). This angle kick in Muay Thai has been adopted by many other forms of martial arts as it is very effective. The round house kick is almost similar to the kicks used in karate or taekwondo. Many Muay Thai fighters also uses a counter rotation of his arms to enhance the power of his kick. A Muay Thai fighter is always taught to hit with his shin. Although the shin is very sensitive for an untrained person the shin is the strongest part of the leg than the foot as it contains fine bones and is much weaker.

Knee Techniques: (Dhe kao)

Straight Knee Strike = Kao Dhrong

Diagonal Knee Strike = Kao Chijang

Curving Knee Strike = Kao Kouwng

Horizontal Knee Strike = Kao Dhad

Knee Slap = Kao Dhob

Knee Bomb = Kao Youwn

Flying Knee Strike = Kao Loi

Step up Knee Strike = Kao Yiep

Other Knee Techniques: – Kao Dode: (Jumping Knee Strike) Jump on one leg and strike with that legs knee. – Kao Loi: (Flying Knee Strike) Take step(s), jump forward and off one leg and strike with that legs knee. – Kao Tone: (Straight Knee Strike) Thrusts it forward. Not upward unless the fighter is holding opponents head down in a clinch and intend to knee upward into the face. – Kao Noi: (Small knee Strike) Hitting the inside upper thigh (above the knee)of the opponent while clinching.

Foot Thrust Techniques: (Theep)

Straight Foot Thrust = Teep Dhrong

Sideways Foot Thrust = Teep Kang

Reverse Foot Thrust = Teep Glab Lang

Slapping Foot Thrust = Teep Dhob

Jumping Foot Thrust = Gra-Dode Teep

It is also known as ‘Push Kicks’ and is commonly used in Muay Thai. It is mainly used to attack opponents’ attack, and get the opponent off balance.

Fighters in The Arm Clinch Position:

There is a difference in Muay Thai from the western Boxing. During the arm clinch position the fighters are separate in western boxing; however they are not in Muay Thai. There are several clinching techniques in Muay Thai including:

– Arm Clinch

– Side Clinch

– Low Clinch and

– Swan Neck.

Defensive techniques against attack:

It as categorized into six groups:

1. Blocking: Defenders hard block to stop a strike in its path, so preventing it reaching its target.

2. Redirection: Defenders soft parries to change the directions of a strike so that it misses its target.

3. Avoidance: Moving a body part swiftly out of the way or range of a strike, making the position of the opponent for a counter strike.

4. Evasion: Moving the body out of the way or range of a strike.

5. Disruption: Pre-aiming an attack.

6. Anticipation: Defender catching a strike or countering it before it strike.

Thai cuisine is unique amongst all the food of Southeast Asia and is by far the most well-known. It is different from neighbouring Chinese and Indian cuisines which influenced it and is very easily identifiable as it incorporates a fantastic blend of all the five taste groups: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and spicy. Thai food is of course best known for being very hot and spicy and many dishes use a lot of fresh chili. Over the years Thailand has used foreign influences and combined them to make a world-famous cuisine that is uniquely Thai.

Thailand, in the days when it was known as Siam, used to be the cross-roads of east-west trading and shipping routes, which means that its culture, religion and cuisine have been influenced with both Persian and Arabian elements. In the more recent past, other foreign recipes have been mixed with traditional Thai dishes and have resulted in a flavour that is unique to this country.

“Tai” people were the original settlers of Thailand and came from the valleys of the mountainous region of Southwest China (now known as Yunnan) sometime between the sixth and thirteenth centuries. They migrated into what we now call northern Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam and northern Myanmar. Bringing their influence from China they mixed their knowledge with the former people of the southern peninsula and incorporated all the new herbs and spices of that southern region, resulting in many similarities between Thai and Chinese cooking.

In addition to this migration, the foreign trade also bought a lot of influence – most significantly the Portuguese, who brought many sweet flavours and even the red chilli, and the Buddhist monks who brought curry from India. Traces of this Indian influence can still be seen today in dishes such as Massaman curry and yellow curry.

These days Thai cuisine continues to evolve, grow and transform, taking new influences and fusing them with old and Thai food is now enjoyed in restaurants all over the world. As appreciation for this unique cuisine continues to grow, the food is a continual exploration of global cooking techniques, ingredients and styles. This is further fueled by modern overseas trading and immigration, with ingredients so easily available all over the world and the ability of people to work in kitchens anywhere they please, bringing their skills with them across the globe. Finally with the internet and the global spread of information, as well as modern mass-tourism, the influence of foreign foods on Thai cuisine has never been so big.

With the proliferation of fake products in the market nowadays, who wouldn’t be cautious? Thai silk is just one of the products that are mostly imitated. It is therefore difficult for an ordinary shopper to spot the real deal from the imitation. If that is the case, the following techniques will be useful in making the right choice.

The most obvious that help you determine the real silk and the imitation is the price. The real fabric is much more expensive than the imitation (which is polyester). The imitation ranges from about 100 to about 300 Baht, while the genuine fabric is about 700 to 3,000 Baht or even more considering some factors or characteristics like intricacies of the design. However, some dealers are very cunning so they give higher prices for imitations in order to trick people that they are selling the real one. This is where the next technique comes in.

One important detail shoppers should take note is the weave of the fabric. Authentic Thai silk is hand-woven and made of natural fiber, so you can see minor imperfections on the fabric. The polyester is made by machine so it looks perfect to the naked eye. So the next time you see silk, check if it is flawless (polyester) or imperfect which is the indication that it’s genuine.

Another method to tell you real from imitation is the print of the fabric. With the real Thai silk, the pattern is printed only one side while on the opposite side you will see the outline of the print. When you check both sides using the light, only the printed side changes color but not the opposite side. With polyester, the printed pattern can be seen on one side and none at the other. It doesn’t change color and glimmers white.

The ultimate step to know if the fabric is the real Thai silk is to split a strand and burn it. Yes, you read it right. The real deal with leave a fine ash and smells like an organic burn (same smell when you burn your hair). If the silk you are burning is an imitation it will melt and the burned edge will form into a ball as it accumulates at the end of the thread. Of course this is not necessary if you are knowledgeable of the above mentioned techniques. But if you want to be certain, then don’t hesitate to do it.

So the next time you shop for authentic Thai silk, just follow these techniques in determining the real from the imitation and you will be happy that you did. Enjoy shopping!

This article is going to be very direct and honest because there has been a lot written about Thailand girls over the years so Thai dating is now a tricky subject. Of course we all hear about the stories of the famous Thai bar girls and we also hear about seemingly normal Thai girls who end up leaving their foreign husbands when he runs out of money.

Well as a Thai woman myself I can tell you many of the stories you hear are true, but I will also say that many of these are written by western men ( known as Farang to Thai people) and so we must understand they are going to be a little biased. That’s not to say they are making it all up because I know some are not but I have to say that I always think there are two sides to everything and I am not sure all these western men are just helpless victims of heartless and ruthless Thai bar girls.

The reason I say this is because when I hear many western men talk about their bad experiences they all seem so intelligent and smart, yet we know many consider Thai girls as not being that smart because many are not educated. So I can’t help wondering what happened to their smart intelligence when this uneducated Thai bar girl tricked them for money? Sorry if this sounds hard but I share this because I want you to avoid it.

So let’s move on to how to avoid dating Thai girls that are bad for you!

1. Firstly you need to have the understanding that in life we reap what we sow or put another way we attract that what we hold inside. What this means here is that very often western men have something in their mind when they go to Thailand.
2. If they have a desire to have a Thai girlfriend they also very often have the wrong thoughts about Thai girls in their mind.
3. They then follow this up by visiting the wrong places in Thailand in search of a Thai Girlfriend and so they end up with the wrong type of girl.

Now that’s ok if you are clear about what type of girl she is and why you have got involved with her and if you are happy with that and what the consequences can be (ie: she might steal your money). I have talked to many men about this and it is very interesting when they meet these girls that they don’t seem to understand what they really are…because to them western men are just business. Just because it is not set up like it is in the West doesn’t change the fact of what they do. I think you know what I am saying with this by now I hope. 

So how to find good Thailand Girls for Thai dating?

Right so you want to start dating Thai girls that are sincere and genuine right? Well what I can tell you is this.

1. Many of them will be found in the same types of places that good western girls are found. They are in normal life working in shops, hotels, offices and hospitals. You can see them in the shopping Malls and in the movie theatres.
2. Where they are not is in the bars and clubs of Pattaya, parts of Bangkok and Phuket.
3. Understand that good Thai girls don’t socialize like people in the West and they are very often working or with their families.

So what about Online Thai Dating…can you find your Thai Love that way? Well I think this is actually a good place to start to be honest because you can actually get to know some Thai women and learn about them and their culture first because it is different from western culture. Social networks are fine but they are more risky because you also get less sincere girls on a lot of these so the paid dating agencies are the best in my opinion and I have seen and heard of many relationships and even marriages happen between Thai women and Western men from this. 

That is some of my ideas and tips on how to avoid bad Thai girls and find Good Thailand girls. If you want to know more about Thai dating, and relationships with Thai women and how to find them please visit my website and sign up for my free tips and ebook at http://www.thaigirlfriendadvisor.com/find-your-thai-love/.

Thai Massage and yoga are part of the same family. About 2500 years ago Thai massage was introduced in Thailand by an Indian physician, a contemporary of Buddha. He brought with him his knowledge of yoga and yoga therapy. Therefore the term Thai Yoga Massage is very appropriate, although this term is not used at all in Thailand but only by western practitioners.

First, yoga did not make it in Thailand

There is even a form of Thai yoga in Thailand, but it is not widely known and hardly practiced by anyone. So the Thai Massage arrived along with the yoga, but the massage flourished and the yoga disappeared into oblivion. Nowadays there are quite a number of yoga schools in Thailand’s tourist areas, but almost all of them are run by foreigners for foreign students. Only in the last few years have the Thais started to take an interest in the Indian version of yoga, and now there are also yoga schools for Thais.

Why don’t the foreigners and Thais mix in the schools, you might ask? One reason is the language barrier, and the other reason is that the Thais approach yoga as well as life in general in a more relaxed, easy going way, whereas westerners take their yoga practice very seriously. The Thais feel that western yoga classes are more competitive instead of relaxed, social events.

Who popularized Thai massage recently?

For thousands of years massage and herbal medicine were standard and effective treatments in Thailand until modern medicine appeared on the scene. At that time Thai bodywork became less popular. It was resurrected by foreigners who were fascinated by this unique healing art. They began to write books about it, they produced videos, and started schools.

The decoupling of Thai Yoga Massage from yoga had led to a degeneration of the quality of this healing art. Originally it had been practiced by monks in temples. In recent decades it often became a thinly disguised come-on for sexual services. However at the same time western therapists started to take it very seriously as a massage therapy. They reintroduced yoga principles, and created a huge demand by westerners for Thai massage education and treatments in Thailand. There are countless massage schools in Thailand, almost all catering exclusively to foreigners.

The Thai government has been making a serious effort to raise the standard of massage education by setting up training facilities for Thais, licensing therapists and schools, issuing official certificates, and promoting higher standards.

Thai Massage and yoga – the ideal combination

In its basic form, Thai massage is just a sequence of stretches and pressure points, a mechanical bodywork system. But by adding yoga principles to the massage, it can be elevated to a true healing art. Mindfulness, awareness of one’s own body and the client’s body, working from one’s “hara”, the energetic center right behind the navel, awareness of one’s breath, conscious channeling of healing energy, and an increased sensitivity of touch all greatly increase the quality and effectiveness of the treatment.

Thai massage can be much more than a technique. The combination of yoga principles with Thai bodywork is not only an ideal combination, but it brings Thai massage back to its roots of yoga. After all, they are part of the same family.

Learning how to express “pain” in

Thai can be quite useful when you

need to tell someone which part

of your body is in pain (i.e. to a

doctor when you’re in the clinic

or hospital).

It can be quite handy too when you need

to create an excuse or reason to

explain that you have certain “pain”

(e.g. headache).

Well, there are basically two Thai words that

describe pain in Thai. The first one

is the Thai verb, poo-what which means

pain, ache, sore or hurt. and the second one

is the Thai verb Jep which also means pain, sore or hurt.

Using poo-what to express pain

Let’s learn how to use the poo-what

to express which part of your

body hurt or ache. By the way,

please remember to practice the writing

Thai script below on a piece of paper. 🙂

Using poo-what is really

simple. Just put it right after a pronoun

and place the body part (noun) right

after the Thai verb poo-what.

Here are some simple examples on how

to use the Thai verb poo-what to

express pain:

Chan poo-what huaa.

I (feminine) have headache.

Pom poo-what khaaen.

My arm hurts.

Pom poo-what dtaa

My eye hurts.

Notice the sentence structure in the 1st example.

Huaa actually means head. Literally translated

the sentence would mean “Me pain head” which

also means “My head hurts”.

The 2nd and 3rd examples are quite simple.

I merely just changed the last word (body part) so that

you can understand how easy it is to express

pain using poo-what.

Simple, right? Okay, now it’s your turn

to create a simple Thai sentence to express

that your nose hurt. You can use the

Thai word ja muuk which means nose.

Pom poo-what ja_muuk

My nose hurts.

Using Jep to express pain

Okay, now it’s time to create longer

and more interesting Thai sentence to express

pain in Thai. Let’s use the Thai verb jeb:

Pom jeb.

I’m hurt

Mai_pen_rai… niu kong pom jep nit nawwy thao_nan khrap.

Never mind… My fingers only hurt a little.

Khao dtohk jaak ban_dai lae khaa thuuk jep.

He fell from the roof and hurt his leg.

In the 2nd example, you will notice the famous

Thai phrase mai pen rai. In Thailand, you would often hear

Thai people saying “mai pen rai” which means

“It’s okay, no problem. Don’t worry, be happy. 🙂

Niu means fingers and nit nawwy means a little.

Nit is actually a Thai adjective meaning tiny

or very small while naawy is just a word

that is used to soften the meaning

of a sentence. Thao nan means only.

In the 3rd example, dtohk means to fall and

jaak means from. Ban dai means roof in Thai.

Lae is a Thai conjunction which means “and”.

Khaa means leg in Thai.

Thuu is actually a Thai verb or particle

that reflects passive voice. What does

that mean? Well, let’s take a look

at the following example to get a better idea:

Mieow kong pom thuuk kha_mooy pai laeow.

My cat has been stolen.

Kha mooy means thief or burglar as a Thai noun

and “to steal, to pilfer or to buglarize” if it’s a Thai verb.

Notice how thuuk lects the passive

voice in the sentence above.

Without thuuk the sentence would mean,

My cat went stealing already. 😛

Garlic

Garlic is actually important ingredient use in Thai Food and found in every recipe prior to fried vegetables and meat. It is also unable to be missed in soup and chili paste and as well spicy salad. This includes the pickled garlic, garlic plants and fried chopped garlic to sprinkle the food.

Benefits:

– Reduce blood pressure

– Prevent heart disease

– Antibacterial, fungal, yeast, virus

Garlic Use in Thai Food:

– Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai

– Beef Masaman

– Kai Phad Phed

– Phanaeng Kai

– Som Tum

– Phad Thai

– Khao Phad Kra Prao

– Nam Ya Pla

Ginger

Thai people use ginger to reduce the fishy smell in many dishes. Tom Som, steam fish with lemon or fry with meat and as well ingredients in Miang (tidbits), such as Miang Kum, Miang Pla Tou, Miang Som. It is also mixed with pickling, mussels, Tai Pla, Saeng Wha, etc. Chopped ginger is tasty to fry with meat and as well Yam Pla Tu, Yam Khing, Yam Pla Kra-pong and Yam Hoy Kraeng. Pickled ginger is a good supplement to boiled rice and many types of paste. Ginger juice and ginger boiled in syrup and mixed with mung bean or sweet potatoes are tasty desserts.

Benefits:

– Antihistamine

– Antibacterial, Fungal, Yeast, Virus

Ginger Use in Thai Food:

– Beef Masaman

Tamarinds

Thai people in every part eat the tamarinds, fresh leaves, flowers and the pods as vegetables and seasoning agents. The content in the ripe pods provides sour taste. People in the middle part of Thailand use the young pods as ingredient of the tamarind paste. The fresh leaves are used in soups; Tom Klong Pla Kroab and Pork and pumpkin in coconut soup.

Benefits:

– Cooling

– Laxative

– Antihistamine

Tamarind Use in Thai Food:

– Beef Masaman

– Phad Thai

Glass noodles, also known as boon-sen, cellophane noodles, mung bean noodles or green bean thread noodles, are made of the flour from green mung beans. These noodles are translucent (giving them the name glass noodles) and are very thin and wiry, a bit like fishing line. They are consequently rather difficult to handle. In Thailand glass noodles are usually found in Thai noodle soup, which is a thin soup often served with fish balls, red pork (Moo Deng) or chicken. The glass noodle soup is a popular late night snack and is also often given to sick people since it is considered healthy and easy to digest.

When pre-soaked glass noodles become slippery, softer and easier to cut and work with. It is important to select good quality noodles (made of 100% mung beans) because they retain their shape and texture better than the cheaper, low quality versions.

Glass noodles are very good at absorbing the flavours of the other ingredients in any dish. This means they are great for salads as well as dishes like baked crab or prawns. They can also be transformed into a crispy garnish by deep frying in very hot oil.

Being made from green mung beans, they are also a good source of iron and selenium and are therefore useful nutrition for vegetarians. They’re also ideal for people on a gluten-free diet.

To prepare glass noodles: First place them in a heatproof dish and pour got or boiling water over them. Soak them for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Then simply add to any dish, whether it’s a roast, a stir-fry or a salad. If you are going to use them in a soup then you don’t need to soak them first but remember that they do absorb a lot of water while soaking so you will need to use extra liquid in any dish where you are not pre-soaking them. Beware though: NEVER pre-soak them if you are going to deep-fry as this can be explosive! Just dip them (dry!) in for a few seconds.

These noodles are used in many different Thai dishes and they should be a standard staple of any Thai pantry. The dried noodles store for as long as you could want (so long as they are kept in an ait-tight container and in a cool, dry place). They usually come in airtight packages so they just need to be kept in a larder or similar and then can easily be prepared whenever required.

Sticky rice with mango is one of the most famous and overly popular Thai sweets choices. Sweet sticky rice paired with a sweet yellow, non-stringy mango, and a thick coconut cream make sticky rice with mango a treat that everyone enjoys!

The Thai ice cream sandwich is an interesting and delicious dessert choice. Coconut ice cream is loaded into a hamburger bun along with sticky rice and peanuts at the bottom. The bun provides a great way to hold the ice cream and soak up the melting cream!

Sang Kaya Fug Tong is basically the Thai version of custard. The creamy custard is filled into a sweet cooked pumpkin and left to harden. A slice of the pumpkin includes a chunk of custard and the two extremely complement each other.

Khanom Thuay can be described as Thai coconut custard bowls. These small bites of coconut cream custard are formed in tiny bite sized bowls. The vendor then scoops them out into a dish and serves them!

Bua Loy is one of the best Thai dessert treats. They are small balls made from mochi rice flour and filled with pounded up black sesame seeds. These small dumplings are usually eaten in a bowl of sweet ginger soup.

Sticky rice with durian is one of the most unique and flavorful Thai sweets available. A slice of overly ripe durian is placed on top of a bowl of sweet sticky rice and then the entire dessert is covered in sweet coconut cream. The result is an incredible creamy mixture with a sensational durian flavor!

Thai Pancakes, known as roti, are popular as a dessert and also as a snack. A thin layer of pasty dough is fried in butter and oil on a hot pan. There is a choice of adding banana, chocolate or an assortment of other ingredients to make the pancake just like you want it!

Roti Sai Mai is similar to a cotton floss candy. Sweet hair like strands of sugar are wrapped into a thin pancake to create a Thai cotton candy wrap.

The Origin of Wisdom, Spirit and Craftsmanship

Introduction

From the old days until now, Thai people have the culture of crafting silver into silverware for several purposes. For example, religious objects, jewellery or household utensils. Archeological evidence indicates that silver has been used since Dvaravati, Sukhothai, Lanna, and Ayudhya until Rattanakosin period. Descendants like us thus having an opportunity to inherit the wisdom of turning valuable metal into life-blessing objects and the sophisticated craftsmanship. Though old evidence suggests that silverware was used only among members of the royal family, noblemen and the rich, from the late Rattanakosin period until now people have widely used silver in creating artwork and designing various kinds of products. This research article will show an aesthetical perspective of the people in the old days. It is aimed at reflecting the beautiful ways of living in harmony with objects. Readers might then realise the importance of silverware as national treasure and, therefore, preserve this origin of wisdom, spirit and craftsmanship.

The First Knowledge: The Origin of Wisdom

As mentioned earlier, we might divide the purpose of silverware usage into 2 categories. One is to create jewellery, household utensils or everyday arts. The other is for scientific purpose e.g. part of chemical elements. The article will mention only the first purpose. This is because it is concerned with the aesthetical wisdom of Thai culture which is different from materialisation in this globalised society.

We could assume from the archeological evidence that Thai people not only consume jewellery, household utensils and art for daily usage. But, these objects are full of meanings which show intellectual integration. Example can be seen from the discovery of silver coins from Dvaravati period at Tambon Prapatone, Nakornpatom. One side of the coin engraved the picture of “Puranakalasa,” a vase with flowers symbolises prosperity, and the other Palsa Dynasty’s Sansakrit saying “Sridvaravatisavarabhunya,” which means the merit of Sridvaravati’s king (Nangnoi, 1991, P.15). This was to always remind the people of the king’s generosity. Other example is a bracelet from northern part of Thailand. The silver bracelet in horseshoe shape called “Jiang money” could also be traded for things.

Silver is also cleverly used as signs, symbols and insignia of rank. In the Tra Sam Duang Law, the first enacted Thai law in the reign of King Boromatrilokanart, it is written that;

Governors of 20 cities must deliver silver and gold flowers. Silver tray with black niello was the insignia of rank for noblemen with 10,000 rais of land. In some royal ceremonies, 9, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1 level of tiered umbrellas were set imitating bloomed lotus. There were silver, gold, and silver and copper umbrellas. Governmental officials were paid in silver, gold, and silver and copper. (Fraser, 1989, P.36)

“Japing,” a shield used to cover girls’ private parts, also demonstrates cleverness of the people in the old days. This is because kids did not wear clothes in the previous time. Though Japing could be made of several materials such as coconut shell, silver Japing had the most value because of the nature of silver and the design. Silver could be forged into small rings connected together. Unlike Japing made of other materials, silver Japing did not rust or prevent air flowing. These evidences show the wisdom of our ancestors in making silver worth more than its basic qualifications; 100% pure and gleaming metal with specific gravity of 10.5. Silver can be found as an element of lead, zinc, copper or sterling silver. Silver is also the best conductor. It resists to alkaline and acid. Silver is amazing metal which can be moulded into 3 dimensional objects through various methods, either by tapping, spreading, carving, bending etc. Looking at silver in this way is a part of cultural process which renders us Thai people artistic and unique jewellery, household utensils and artworks.

The Second Knowledge: The Origin of Spirit

Jewellery, household utensils or artworks have been forms of inner mind expression before verbal language. Thai people have been carving silver for more than 10,000 years. Silver tradition has been retained in the form of symbols. These symbols were related to objects which tell the story of faith. We found that the jewellery, household utensils and artworks have embraced cultural context, value and spiritual images. They also show “public” aiming at uniting Thai community.

An example of the above mentioned aim can be seen from historical society before the time of Buddhism. Necklace, bracelet and coins made from shell, bones or silver were found in both men and women graves. Anthropologists point out the reason jewellery was always buried with the dead is because death might be a form of life continuity. Similar to Buddhist belief, people in the old days believed that spirits will be reborn. They would then take with them to the next life the jewellery and household utensils. (Fine Arts Department, 1992, P. 37, 42) Another example is the strong faith of Buddhists towards the Triple Gem; Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. The Buddhists express their faith through Buddhist art.

The size of silver forming Buddha images is no more than 6 inches. Buddha images of 4 or 5 inches height are normally found in temples through northern part of Thailand. In the old days, people in the north believed that “If you determine to enter monkshood but fail to do so, building Buddha image would receive the same merits as going under monkshood.” Daughters of decent families always followed the belief because women are not allowed to enter monkshood. Sons with disabilities also did their contribution this way. (Nangnoi, 1991, P. 50) In war time, men carried with them jewellery as talisman. They believed that the jewellery would prevent them from danger and protect them. We may conclude that the origin of spirit leads to creation of objects to serve individual needs. They act as medium in fulfilling one’s spirit.

The Third Knowledge: The Origin of Craftsmanship

Silver can be created through various processes, from basic to complicated process. The process of creating jewellery, household utensils or artworks has many steps. All the steps lead to beautiful artistic images. But, only important processes will be explained here.

There are 3 main procedures in order to create any product from silver: forging, forming and decorating.

1. Forging is putting silver beads or coins into a mould. Melt it with heat and pour into a forming mould.

2. Forming This can be done in many ways, for example, carving, hammering, tapping, lining or ironing into sheet. After the pieces of silver will be soldered by “blowing,” using borax and soldering flux, or other methods such as weaving, sheathing.

3. Decorating Similar to forming, decorating can be done in various ways. Embossing, carving, using abrasive paper etc. can be used to decorate surface. Other materials used in decorating silverware are amniotic fluid, niello, gem or enamel.

Craftsmen, artists or designers should always study the above procedures in order to develop their skills. Knowing only principles would not lead to beautiful work of art. Therefore, we need to practice and maintain these skills given to us by our ancestors. Apart from that, we shall adjust and adapt these procedures to our modernised society on the basis of the old principles.

Conclusion: Integration of the Three Origins Leads to Sustainability

Nowadays, our society and culture are lead by economic direction. Money is the indicator of good condition of living. Using silver to create delicate and sophisticate jewellery, household utensils or artworks has become time wasting process, old-fashioned and contradict to economic growth. Lots of craftsmen and artists thus abandon this job and stop passing on the knowledge. Damage caused by this may not be seen today. But, if we continue neglecting, we may eventually lose our cultural uniqueness and become another prey of cultural colonialism.

This research article is determined to distribute cultural knowledge to readers, especially those directly related to the issue. We wish to urge them to, once again, preserve this aesthetic inheritance and sophisticate craftsmanship. Thai people would then be able to maintain our national identity according true Buddhist culture.