I am notoriously indecisive when
it comes to ordering food from long-
form menus, and so I’m a ready fan of
establishments that do a handful of
dishes – and do them well.
In Ban Na Ton Chan (บ้านนาต้นจั่น),
a remote little village near Sri
Satchanalai, one such restaurant
serves up three signature dishes, the
first being khao perb – or khao poep –
a recipe that is unique to the district.
Crepe-like flour noodles, coriander,
lettuce, bean sprouts, garlic, and a
sunnyside-up egg (which is craftily
steamed on a piece of cloth over
boiling water) converge in a flavourful
hot broth. The second offering is
goi teo bae, a dry noodle, served up
on a banana leaf with a sliver of pork,
the obligatory side serving of crushed
peanuts and lime, and a sneak treat of
pork crackling. The final meal on the
menu is a selection of lolly-like mee
pun, a variety of colourful rice noodle
wrapped around slivery strands of
vermicelli and mung bean sprouts,
cleverly wound onto a stick. The latter
was more aesthetically pleasing than
anything else: The purple and orange
noodles flecked with black spice
freckles look more like a type of candy
you would sport at a funfair than a
glutinous savoury snack.
Ban Na Ton Chan offers a
grassroots gateway to community
culture, and a few intimate homestays
have cropped up to cater to travellers
looking to engage in the local way of
life. One such activity is a weaving
operative. Cotton threads are dyed with
natural ingredients such as jackfruit
bark and mangosteen peel, and thenbelow Sukhothai is a hub of
local agricultural activities
right If you stop over in
Bangkok, take a trip to Nang
Loeng, a vibrant neighbourhood
with abundant street food
options, and warm hospitality
woven on looms into textile designs.
The material is then fermented
overnight – in vats of mud. The result
is a cashmere-soft product, which is
fashioned into various clothing. Tong
tells me that the softening properties
of mud were discovered by women
working in the rice fields. They noticed
that the hems of their skirts, inches
deep in mud during the working day,
were much softer than the upper part
of their garments after washing, and
so they turned mud fermented fabric
making into a local cottage industry.
The Sri Satchanalai district is also
home to the Gold Textile Museum of
Lung Sathorn, locally famous for their
handwoven women’s sarongs, and Ban
Thong Somsamai (ร้านทองสมสมัย), where
jewellery artisans design intricate
gold pieces sold in front of the factory.
Creatively inclined visitors can also
pay a visit to Prasert Antique, a craft
shop that specialises in sangkhalok
(สังคโลก) – a type of ceramic ware, and