Khuen Thum Phra Khayang

Khuen Thum Phra Khayang

         Phra Khayang Cave at Laem Niang in Kra Buri District, Ranong Province, has been the venue of the province’s celebrations of the Chinese Lunar New Year since 1961. The cave was made known because it was mentioned in a legend related to the first ruler of Kra (Kra Buri), Phra Kaeo Korop, whose former name was Nai Kaeo Thanabat. The legend goes that a Nakhon Si Thammarat resident Nai Kaeo had caught a magnificant gold-color hawksbill sea turtle. He offered this rare creature to the Chumphon ruler, who then presented it to a late Ayutthaya king. For this good deed, Nai Kaeo was awarded an important post of Ranong ruler.

          The 2017 traditional Thum Phra Khayang Fair took place on January 27-29. The main features were three. First, it was about the legend of the Mueang Kra ruler Phra Kaeo Korop. But this year they did not hold a parade, usually organized by the Tambon Nam Jued Municipality. Instead, the Tambon Lam Liang Administration Organization initiated a big rite of paying homage to the first ruler, at the Po Ta Luang Kaeo Monument. Second, they emphasized the  ecotourism promotion of the cave and its mangrove natural trail. The third emphasis was on the preservation of the local manorah stage performance.

          The organizers included the local administration organization, the government sector and the private sector of Kra Buri District and Ranong Province. The work load was shared by all; for instance, the information boards telling about the Thum Phra Khayang legend, set up in the open ground in front of Po Ta Luang Kaeo Monument, were done by the Ranong Provincial Administration Organization.

          A published book by Mr. Phakdi Chantawong Thanabat (Mr. Chin Thanabat) heir of Phra Kaeo tells about the famous legend. Story has it that when Phra Kaeo became the Ranong ruler, he had a mistress named Nang Noi and 2 sons from her (Nai Thong and Nai Thep). Nai Thong was sent to school in Nakhon Si Thammarat. He was supposed to come back and become the next ruler, after he finished his education. When he did come home, he had a lover Nang Jan, who was his father’s another mistress. Eventually, the secret was out. Nai Thong therefore planned to kill his own father. In his rage, Phra Kaeo ordered Nai Thong to be tied to a crossbeam and whipped 3 times a day, and executed after 1 week. But Nai Thong could not be killed. Apparently he had learned certain black magic that made him invulnerable. The father then had to resort to having him tied up to a 3-legged stand, in a cave in Laem Niang mountain. He was to be starved until death. In Thai, a 3-legged stand is a “kha yang,” which in later time became “khayang”.

          Phra Kaeo in his old age turned to studying and practicing insight meditation, which made him the more respectable to local folks. They called him Po Ta Luang Kaeo, and believed that his sacred soul would always protect from harm anybody passing by Khao Laem Niang. This explains why his shrine is very famous. A lot of people come here to worship him, or to ask for some favors.

          The worshipping fair was scheduled on Saturday 29 January 2017, by the Tambon Lamliang Administration Organization. Mr. Somsak Un-nu, Deputy Chief and Acting Chief Officer, and Mr. Kha-ne Tongprusiam, Assistant Chief Officer, together gave an interview about the early days’ fair. The main sponsors were the District Chief Officer Chuen Thongsiri, and owner of the Oraphan Sawmill Mr. Boonmun Suwannarat. At that time a lot of Chinese merchants had already come to do business in that area. So most probable they picked the time of the Chinese Lunar New Year to stage the fair.

          Nowadays the ritual, however, is a Brahmin one. In the 2017 event, the priests conducting the rite were from Pattalung-Nakhon Si Thammarat area as they were supposed to know how to do it properly and correctly. The offerings consisted of 3 pairs of bai si, 3 pig heads, boiled ducks, boiled chickens, boiled crabs, boiled prawns, steamed unscaled snakehead fish, sugar, boiled taro and yam, bananas, whole young coconuts, other fruits, sweetmeats, whisky, marigold garlands, fresh flower vases, incense sticks, religious candles, and holy cords.

          The significant job of having people walk up to the Phra Khayang cave was the responsibility of the Tambon Lamliang Adninistration Office. They made sure that the cave was well lit inside. Officers were on standby to help participants. They did the registration of the people coming as well. These people would each get a certificate stating that they completed the feat. Drinking water and souvenirs were distributed. The cave entrance is quite large. From here, a path goes higher up. At certain intervals the ground can be quite wet. One can see water dripping down from the stalactites and stalagmites deep in the cave. Stairways with railings are in some spots. Colonies of bats are seen perched on some cave walls, and the odor of the droppings can be smelled. Going higher up, one can see an opening at the top where sunlight shines through, and from where one can also see some trees in the Laem Niang woods. Climbing up to the top openings is possible if anyone wishes to see some high-angle views. But climbers should heed the warning signs because sometimes the slopes are really steep, and at some spots climbing is forbidden.

          The 1-km concrete natural trail around the mountain is interesting. With railings along the way, it is safe to walk or bike through the virgin forest. The winding path sometimes leads to the mangrove forest where Nipa palms are abound. The area is home to a few troops of monkeys. One can spot some but only when no human beings are around.

          The canal branching off the Kra Buri River is the Khlong Lamliang. The canal has its source in the Tanaosi mountain range. The water flows into the Andaman Sea. Commuting by water has long characterized the lifestyle of the people living around here. Even today a number of boats are seen moored along the canal. During the fair, big crowds came in.  Stalls lining the sides of the road leading to the cave were ready to do business. Despite the bustling atmosphere, one could still hear the wood winds and feel their movements. Near the bridge over the canal, many boats with full loads of Nipa palm trees were docked. On the bank many locals were having their hands full cutting off young leaves from the trees.

          Aunt Montha Sudkang and uncle Son Jampuchana, residents of Moo/Village 5, have long had this job of clipping off young Nipa palm leaves. They earn a daily income depending on the amount of work they can do each day. Nipa palm is a very useful plant. The flower cluster yields a sweet, edible sap which is fermented to make vinegar. The fruit is edible too. The long, featherly leaves are used as roof materials or other structures. Or they can be cut up and used to wrap a local dessert called khanom jak.  Young leaves are used to wrap tobacco. Even today there is still a big demand for Nipa palm. A contractor is willing to pay a flat rate for the whole orchard, then has the tree tops cut and transported by boat. When asked about their lifestyle still very much attached to the mangrove forests, they said the mangroves were their source of free and safe natural foods especially the aquatic animals such as fish and crabs.

          Aunt Montha had more stories to tell about the fairs in the previous years. There used to be lots of people coming. They were from other areas as well. Some came to open up booths selling all kinds of goods, but not much of the local stuff. The Burmese came too, lots of them, because they loved to make merits. Aunt Montha seemed surprised that the most recent fair did not comprise the procession and the beauty contest, because they had had these activities in the past years. What was always captivating for Aunt Montha was the typical Southern manorah. This year the Mae Jamsi Boonyarit troupe came.

          The manorah stage, a temporary one, was put quite near the cave entrance. This local performance was actually meant as a votive offering to some sacred beings for some granted favors. A standard performance generally requires a standard stage. Phra Suwit, a monk of the Suwanwattanaram Monastery who did some supervision work during the fair, mentioned something interesting regarding this folk belief about manorah.  At one time, the fair went on without the usual manorah and the shadow play. Then a very tragic incident happened. A short circuit of an old generator caused the death of a few people – so the stronger was the belief that the folk entertainment was indispensible. During our visit, the Mae Chamsi troupe performed the manorah. In the afternoon when they were doing the rite of paying homage to the sacred spirits, Mae Chamsi herself showed up as the main character. She was quite old. Yet despite her age she was able to attract a large audience.

          After the manorah, it was time for an ancient rite in which some organizer members treaded on the “sen” on a boy’s body, upon the request of the boy’s mother. First one needs to understand that sometimes some manorah/nora characters can become psychics who are connected to some spirits or supernatural beings. “Sen” is a tumor on the body. The tumors are not painful, nor are they malignant. But they certainly look ugly. The boy had some red tumors on his chest (they are called “sen thong.”  Gold is “thong”.  Black ones are “sen dam.”) Norah players insist that these ugly sen/molds are caused by the spirit Phi O-ka-sang/Phi Chao Sen; or they can be the marks left by some norah sorcerer/Ta-yai Norah. They are curable if they are treaded on, by a norah, in a special ritual. For this sen ritual the essential things are: a water bowl, betels and areca nuts, candles and incense sticks, fresh flowers, a razor, a grinding stone, coins, gold ornaments, silver ornaments, thatches, ears of rice grains, and 32-baht cash.

          The medium conducting the rite by lighting some candles and incense sticks to show respect to the spirits, then did a kris/sword dance, symbolically to suppress the evil ones. The dance over, the medium put his toe on the moldy patches on the boy’s body, while uttering some magic words. He treaded lightly, also used the kris/sword to touch the patches lightly, and repeated 3 times. Last of all he picked up the auspicious items in the sacred bowl/tray and touched the boy’s body again with those things.

          The light-and-sound show presenting the Phra Khayang cave legend was another highlight. Some archeological evidence remaining is testament to the area once being an old city and significantly a centerpoint where traders commuted to do business. The show ending was about the tragic incident as told in the Phra Khayang legend.

          Judging from the big crowd coming to the fair, it can be said that the fair was quite a big success. Nevertheless, the Tambon Administration Organization and a few other organizers involved still wished to do a better job in the coming years. For example, some of them even made study trips to a number of places. It was a pity that a few interesting activities were missing such as the boat cruise along the canal, the beauty contest, and the good management to ensure an alchohal-free event. So far they have agreed that next year stall vendors will no longer use foam containers.