Rural diversion

Uthai Thani woos visitors with simple lifestyle of people who live by the Sakaekrung River

STORY BY KARNJANA KARNJANATAWE, PHOTOS BY ARTHUR JONES DIONIO

Ko Thepho in Uthai Thani is well known for dishes made from the giant gourami fish, but the real treasures of this northern province are its nature and the simple way of life of people along the Sakaekrung River. It reminded me of Ubud in Bali, Indonesia.

Sandwiched between the Chao Phraya and Sakaekrung rivers, Ko Thepho is an agricultural island whose residents cultivate rice, corn, pamelo, mango, marian plum, beans and eggplant.

King Rama V stopped at Ko Thepho in 1906 during his royal cruise to northern Thailand and visited Wat Ubosatharam or Wat Boat. The temple's abbot was a friend of the King. The temple has a house with spire where the abbot lived three months every year after the start of Buddhist lent.

It is a two-storey house built in European style and painted white. "We plan to renovate the house and keep the King's belongings there," said the present abbot of the temple. Next to the building stands a vihara which is now under renovation. The hall has a mural dating back to the beginning of Rattanakosin period.

Ko Thepho used to be a cape. It became an island after a canal was dug during the reign of King Rama V to divert water into the Sakaekrung River during summer season, according to local authorities or the Tambon Administration Office of Ko Thepho.

It is believed that the island is named after the "Thepho" fish or black ear catfish that is native to the Sakaekrung River. However, the popular fish today is the giant gourami. There are an estimated 120 fish pens along the shores of Ko Thepho.

Sanya Nuanpin, a local guide who also operates a long-tailed boat, said people like to breed giant gourami because it commands a good price and is easy to raise.

"The fish has a lot of meat and only one big bone so it is very popular and easy to cook," he said, noting that a unique character of fish is that they do not have an unpleasant smell, unlike those that feed off dirt in ponds. In addition, the river's current also brings in nutrients.

Ko Thepho has an area of 6,250 rai and is home to 830 farming families. Their houses are not fenced with concrete but with green vegetables, and some do not have any kind of fencing at all. They are typical up-country Thai style houses surrounded by tall trees that provide much needed shade during summer months when the heat gets unbearable.

Driving through a neighbourhood we saw men collect corn while others watered their vegetable farms. Watching a group of housewives tying stringbeans with elastic rings, we stopped for a chat.

"We grow cash crops here in our backyard and sell them through a middle man," said a woman in her 50s who was washing eggplant. When I asked if the vegetables were chemical free, she answered that they had to apply a substance to make the vegetables look good so that they can fetch good prices.

"Nobody wants to buy imperfect vegetables. There is an organic farm down this road and it is open to visitors," she said.

There was a sign showing visitors to an organic farm, but along the way, there were other interesting things worth taking a look: wickerwork baskets, bowie knives and fragrant goods, all hand-made and additional sources of income for the island's residents. They are certified by the government as OTOP products of Ko Thepho.

We drove on a narrow concrete road along the Chao Phraya River to look for a group specialising in wickerwork. The leader of the group was Sanae Channhuk.

Sanae was in her early 60s. She started her factory in 1984 after learning that Ko Thepho was abundant in bamboo, particularly the Bambusa blumeana species that is ideal for making baskets.

Shaded by tall mango trees, she used her frontyard as working area which also had on display some of the finished products created by her team.

"Our baskets have been well accepted ever since they received OTOP certification in 2002. We have joined many exhibitions and fairs here and abroad to showcase our works," she said.

Sanae is now passing on her skills to her daughter and 26 other women in Ko Thepho. Her two-storey wooden house sometimes has foreign visitors, including students from the United States keen to learn her craft.

Today, her skills come in various forms: key chains, fans, food containers and tissue boxes. High on demand are baskets with flower patterns.

"The tissue box is popular among the Japanese because of its neat details," she noted.

Not far from her place is a family that makes aromatic incense sticks. There are some 132 households on the island that engage in this kind of work. They are members of the Thong Ta Now, a supplier of fragrant incense sticks and aromatic oil.

We drove a little further to a small factory and were met by Lamphai Thongtanao who lead us to her showroom. Most of the products were designed for spas and resorts here as well as abroad. There are 145 types of fragrances ranging from sandalwood, morning mist and lavender to fruits such as carrot, banana and watermelon.

"Our products are made to order and we also have well-designed packages for export," she said, adding that she also makes black incense used in saying prayers to Jatukarm Ramathep, a highly revered amulet and guardian angel.

The next stop was a cottage factory specialising in Bowie knives. There we met Sakchai Changthanong, more popularly known as Chang Lek Bowei, who learned to make knives when still only 14 years old. In 2002 he started his factory with four workers.

"The uniqueness of our knives lies in the design and material used. We import the raw material - steel - from Germany and Sweden because their steel is very strong," he said. His knives come in many sizes and styles and priced 800 baht to 25,000 baht depending on the quality of steel and the handle. Today he employs nine people.

Ko Thepho also has a biking trial. Along the way, you will see many kinds of birds.

If you appreciate simple, riverine lifestyle, don't forget to drop by at Ko Thepho. The warm hospitality of its people and pristine nature are waiting to spring visitors a surprise or two.

MORE INFO

To Uthai Thani by car from Bangkok, the shortest route is 222 kilometres long. Take Highway No. 32 and drive past Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Chai Nat. Then turn left at Tha Nam Oi at Km 206 and turn left again onto Road No. 333. Ko Thepho is on your left, before Uthai Thani town.

Air-conditioned buses leave the Northern Bus Terminal daily starting 5am until 4pm. For more information, call 02-936-2852-66, and the Uthai Thani bus terminal at 056-511-914 or visit http://www.transport.co.th.

Activities:

- Boat cruise: Visitors can take a boat to watch life along the Sakaekrung and Chao Phraya rivers at the Tha Sung Temple pier. Boats operate between 8am-5pm daily. The cruise lasts 40 minutes and the fare is 40 baht per person. For more information, call Khun Nid at 089-958-1479 and 085-181-2900.

- Bikes and kayaks can be rented at all resorts on Ko Thepho.

Where to stay:

River Marina Resort (http://www.rivermarinaresort.com) offers peaceful accommodation in raft houses. The price is 1,100 baht per night for a raft house and 1,000 baht for a bungalow on land. For more information, call 056-502-647 or 089-533-7559. Other options include Uthai River Lake Resort (02-538-0335 and 081-830-0653) and Payamai Resort (http://www.payamairesort.com or 056-571-767).

Where to eat:: There are a number of restaurants along the Chao Phraya River, like the Pa Samran (056-517-193), that serve many types of fish-based dishes.

For more information, call 081-036-1860 for basketry and wickerwork, Thong Ta Now at 081-973-2931, Chang Lek Bowei at 089-857-4518, Chuchat Bowei at 089-907-5662 and the Ko Thepho Tambon Administrative Organisation at 056-514-323.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Sunday April 08, 2007