The Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, is promoting the "Pha Khao Ma and the Thai Way of Life", which is a national cultural heritage, to the UNESCO stage by accelerating the systematic creation of a database of Thai Pha Khao Ma patterns from all sectors for the benefit of preserving the national cultural heritage and promoting the creation of Pa Khao Ma identity patterns by organizations and communities, including the utilization of the database for further development in the community enterprise and marketing sectors to increase the economic value of Pha Khao Ma and the sustainable expansion of the community economy.
When mentioning "Pha Khao Ma", many probably think of checkered fabrics in various colors meant for various uses, from clothing, bathing cloths, scarves, head wraps, hammocks, floor mops, tablecloths, blankets, etc. It would not be wrong to say that Pha Khao Ma is a multipurpose cloth. Pha Khao Ma has been associated with the Thai way of life for a long time. It is a cultural heritage that is simple but has many uses. The charm of Pha Khao Ma still appeals to the new generation who use Pha Khao Ma to design products and contemporary clothing.
The future of the Pha Khao Ma can still go very far to the world stage, with the Ministry of Culture proposing to register the "Pha Khao Ma" as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity with UNESCO, with the Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, joining in supporting the collection and creation of a database of Pha Khao Ma cloth patterns in Thailand in an orderly manner on the website.
"Registering the fabric does not only mean that the Pha Khao Ma is ours alone because we do recognize that it is a regional heritage. We have focused on the Pha Khao Ma as a versatile part of the Thai way of life for a long time. Furthermore, Thai Pha Khao Ma also has its own identity in terms of form, pattern, dyeing technique, and weaving, which reflect the people and communities in each region of Thailand. They constitute the intellectual heritage of the Thai people," Associate Professor Ritirong Jiwakanon, Director of the Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University, described the creation of a database to register Thai Pha Khao Ma at UNESCO.
Associate Professor Ritirong JiwakanonDirector, Thai Studies Institute, Chulalongkorn University
"For us, helping the Ministry of Culture on a project such as this is a way for us to preserve cultural wisdom on the world stage, which is a way to protect culture and ensure that cultural wisdom will not be lost."
The Thai Pha Khao Ma database safeguards the wisdom of the Thai way of lifeThere are many ways to protect wisdom, said Assoc. Prof. Ritirong, be it teaching, publicizing, information dissemination, research, conservation, and even gathering and creating a database. "To keep the cultural wisdom part of the Thai way of life, we must make that wisdom move and develop continuously. Creating a database of Thai pa khao ma patterns is something that will make the wisdom heritage fluid because the database is not something static, but can change and be enriched. In addition to the original patterns, there will be new patterns added to the database all the time. The ever-changing information will be a sign that the cultural wisdom of Pha Khao Ma still exists in society and that people still show an interest in it."
The website welcomes communities to enter information on local Pha Khao Ma in February 2025. In addition to cultural protection, Assoc. Prof. Ritirong added the three goals of creating the database:
Although the cloth is something that Thai people know well and use daily, if asked to explain or give a definition, origin, and identity of Pha Khao Ma, many people may not be confident in their answer.
Assoc. Prof. Ritirong explained the definition and characteristics of Pha Khao Ma saying that "Pha Khao Ma is a rectangular cloth of 60-80 centimeters by 120-160 centimeters. Size is important for Pha Khao Ma because if it is smaller or larger than this, it will be difficult to use. Pha Khao Ma can be found in both cotton and silk, woven using basic techniques, but has bright colors from the grid pattern, and both ends of the cloth have stripe patterns."
The villagers dye and weave the cloth themselves in their homes through knowledge passed down from their ancestors. As for the usage, it depends on the lifestyle and identity of each community. For example, on formal occasions, villagers will use Pha Khao Ma as a body wrap or use it as a belt, including using it as alms for monks. In the home, Pha Khao Ma is used as a tablecloth, curtain, pillowcase, baby carrier, cradle, or even as a diaper for newborns.
Pha Khao Ma is also used in life-transition ceremonies and healing rituals. It is also used as a gift to show welcome and as a gift in wedding ceremonies. In addition, it serves as a form of worship of ancestors and deities related to agriculture in various traditions, including funerals. "Originally, they were made from leftover materials. As villagers were already weaving cloth, and when there were leftover threads, they would use them to weave into Pha Khao Ma. Anyone who is learning to weave must first learn how to weave Pha Khao Ma because it is a simple weaving method. They certainly serve the Thai way of life, from being a piece of cloth to being transformed into rags. It is a valuable use of resources, in line with the current Zero Waste concept," said Assoc. Prof. Ritirong.
The Thai Pha Khao Ma DatabaseAccording to Assoc. Prof. Ritirong, the Thai Studies Institute has compiled a digital database of Thai Pha Khao Ma patterns, currently on the website. There are templates for various topics with a focus on patterns, the background (stories) of the patterns, the designers, colors and patterns of the fabric, etc.
"Patterns invented by villagers may be newly created names, or sometimes villagers use the name of the community as the name of the fabric pattern. Other details about the fabric, such as colors used in the pattern, type of grid, grid width, and whether natural or chemical colors are used. If it is natural colors, it must state where the natural colors come from. If it uses chemical colors, it must have a color number according to international standards and a list of contacts of the community owner," Assoc. Prof. Ritirong elaborated on the details of the database.
The database focuses primarily on Pha Khao Ma patterns and details about the patterns, such as colors, fabric structures, and the owners."We will allow communities to enter their data into the system by themselves. We will provide training to the communities. "To enable registration and input of one's own information," said Assoc. Prof. Ritirong. The Thai Studies Institute will allow communities to participate in data collection on Thai-style Pha Khao Ma from February 2025 onwards.
The Pha Khao Ma database, a platform connecting producers and buyersAssoc. Prof. Ritirong said that once the pattern database is complete, all agencies, both public and private, can use the data to benefit the study of Thai Pha Khao Ma patterns, community development, and marketing.
"Making a database such as this is not about registering a pattern copyright. It does not mean that other people cannot use this pattern. Our database will indicate which community wove this pattern to connect the wisdom of the community with the public and private sectors."
In terms of marketing, Assoc. Prof. Ritirong talked about using the database to promote marketing to the community, saying, "Villagers who weave fabrics are skilled in production, but not in marketing. The database will act as a medium to connect buyers to producers. For example, if a hotel wants Pha Khao Ma as premium products with their signature patterns, they can enter the database, choose the pattern they like, and contact the community that produced the pattern."
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