KRABI — The “Hua Thong boat” or longtail boat is a vessel built from local wisdom. It’s widely used in the southern seas of Thailand, especially along the Andaman coast, from Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Trang, to Satun provinces.
Locals traditionally use this type of boat for fishing and catching marine life. Nowadays, it has been adapted to serve tourists visiting the Krabi sea, becoming another unique feature of Krabi Province.
The “Taling Chan Subdistrict Hua Thong Boat Building Group” is a collective of locals from Taling Chan Subdistrict, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province. They chose to continue the profession passed down through generations. They believe that Krabi was the first province on the Andaman coast to build Hua Thong boats. Each boat builder possesses both science and art specific to boat construction.
Mr. Sunthorn Khlongrua, one of the boat builders, recounts the history of Hua Thong boats. In the past, ancestors would build their own boats to go fishing, using palm wood tied together to form a hull. As times changed and tools became available, the boat design was adapted, evolving into the form seen today.
The group of boat builders here has been working together locally for over 30 years. Most of the villagers who join in boat building have their main occupation as local fishermen, catching crabs and fish daily to earn a living. During stormy weather with strong waves when they can’t go out to sea, they repair boats or build new ones for fishing, turning it into a inherited craft.
Currently, villagers from many provinces along the Andaman coast order boats from here continuously, as the Hua Thong boats from this area have unique characteristics.
The distinctive feature of boats built here is the use of wood that is resistant to sun and rain. Customers can order boats according to their specific needs and sizes. The price of building one boat depends on its size, measured by the number of “ribs” in the boat, which refers to the curved wood used as the boat’s frame.
A boat with 19 ribs costs about 130,000 baht ($3,920), 21 ribs cost 170,000 baht ($5,230), and 23 ribs cost 250,000 baht($7,540). Villagers make a profit of 10,000 to 40,000 baht ($300-1200) per boat, depending on its size.
Currently, the group of villagers is working hard to build boats due to continuous orders from both local and other provinces throughout the year. As a result, the Taling Chan Subdistrict Hua Thong Boat Building Group has become the largest boat building group on the Andaman coast, generating good income for its members and locals.
If anyone is interested, they can contact the Taling Chan Subdistrict Hua Thong Boat Building Group, Nuea Khlong District, Krabi Province at 087-6564411.
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