Jim Thompson Farm: Rural Center Aims to Preserve Isan's Cultural Heritage

By Maneeya Dhammataree

The community of Pak Thong Chai district in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) and Jim Thompson's Thai Silk Company seemed to share so much in common that the globally renowned Thai silk brand decided to establish its farm in the foothills of Phrayaprab, just 25 km from the center of town.

Covering 718 rai (115 hectares), Jim Thompson Farm was established in 1988 in order to assist the company in sericulture and silk production. The site includes a plant that produces reels of silk, a weaving production center, as well as a plant manufacturing patterned silk fabric.

As well as being involved in the cultivation of silk worm eggs, the farm also conducts comprehensive research in order to improve the native species.

Local benefits
Since Khorat is part of the northeastern region of Thailand commonly referred to as Isan, and up to 80% of the farm's employees are locals, Jim Thompson Farm is dedicated to preserving the area's cultural treasures and traditions. In fact, an area covering 10 rai has already been developed to resemble a traditional Isan Village.

To ensure the village appears authentic, a number of ancient homes – some up to 150-200 years old – were relocated to the site to demonstrate the region's unique architectural styles, such as the heun Khorat ('Khorat home') from Nakhon Ratchasima, and huen Phuthai, which is commonly found in Mukdahan province.

The 200-year-old Khorat-style residence was formally the home of 87-year-old Pae Srisomtakhu. According to Pae, one of the third generation of the family to reside in the home, the main structure and roof were constructed by a craftsman from Pak Thong Chai, while a Chinese craftsman built the walls.

This kind of house actually shares one significant design feature with regular traditional Thai homes, which is that it also has a raised floor, providing a spacious area below for storage or other uses.


Since there's a gap measuring 80 centimeters between the porch and the floor of the house, a piece of wood known as mai rong teen, which literally means 'a piece of wood to support your feet', is used, while the gap is often referred to as chong maew rod ('a gap big enough for a cat to pass through').

A mix of materials
The Phuthai home demonstrates a construction technique that involves binding. While the building's main pillars are made from wood, other materials used include lengths of hay bound together with bamboo cane.

Among the most significant architectural features of homes in Isan are heun non yai ('the main building'), as well as a peung, which is a sleeping area for boys that includes a shrine. Elders (parents) and girls get their own separate bedrooms in this form of residence.

These homes also include a chan dad ('porch'), a heun fai ('outdoor kitchen') and a hang ang num, which is a small building housing an earthenware jar (filled with water), which is used by those about to enter the house to wash their feet.

The farm also has its own 'shrine of the grandfathers', an ancient form of shrine that is considered to be sacred among Isan communities.


Sericulture support at a community level

Jim Thompson Farm wisely launched a community based project that aims to maximize the expertise among those living in the community.

“The people living here understand how to raise silkworm eggs since it is 'in their blood'. Apart from rice farming, the most popular livelihoods in this area were mulberry cultivation and the raising of silk worms,” says Thongchai Popaibul, manager of Jim Thompson Farm's farm and promotion department.

“The eggs from the silk worms raised on our farm will be supplied to mulberry farmers based in several other northeastern provinces, including Buriram and Surin.”

Once the larvae produce cocoons made of raw silk, the farm buys them back. The silk from these are processed into reels of silk thread at the Jim Thompson Farm's production facilities.

The farm has taken a large role in holding consultations with members of local communities with regard to farming and any issues relating to the raising of silk worms. Jim Thompson Farm is also able to guarantee cocoon prices for farmers.












source: tannetwork.tv