Thailand: Korlae fishing boat, Na Thon, Ko Samui

Along mainly the east coast of peninsular Thailand, from Ko Samui southward, colorful, painted fishing boats have been built and decorated by Muslim fishermen for hundreds of years. The finest examples of this now declining industry originate in the boatyards of Saiburi District, Pattani Province.

Originally sailboats, korlae are now run with engines by local fishermen. Among the characters commonly depicted on the superbly detailed hull designs are the singha lion, the gagasura horned bird, the payanak sea serpent, and the garuda bird that is both the symbol of the Thai Kingdom and the mythical mount of the Hindu God Vishnu. Strange subject matter, perhaps, for a group of predominantly Muslim fishermen, but this is very much a cultural cross-over zone, where Thai Buddhism meets Malay Islam, and the resulting mix shows clearly in traditional korlae designs.

The Samui Archipelago was first ‘discovered’ as a budget traveler’s paradise back in the 1970s, but has since moved considerably upmarket. Together with Phuket, the main island of the group, Ko Samui, is Thailand’s premier beach resort, and is truly a lovely island.

Copyright:

CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Photographer:

David Henley

Credit:

Pictures From Asia