NAKHON RATCHASIMA: A century-old tradition of knife making continues to provide a lucrative income for a village in Muang district, generating income of over 20 million baht each year for around 30 families.
Small family forges today dot the village of Ban Maka in tambon Ban Pho, where a skilled Lao knife maker named Petch married a Thai woman over 100 years ago and set up business.
His high quality knives and other bladed tools rapidly became much sought after in the Northeast, according to Jamnian Chanpho, a former chief of tambon Banpho.
Petch also taught the villagers how to produce fine quality blades, and so a tradition was born.
At one period in the past, making knives was the main business of every household in the village. Modern development has now caught up with Ban Maka, and many of the younger generation have opted for other careers.
Aree Raikhuntod, 52, said he was taught by his grandfather, when everything was still done by hand. A smithy could make only 8-10 knives a day.
Now, machinery plays a major role in production, and a household can produce at least a hundred quality knives, often in many styles, each day. (continues below)
Several types of knives are made in the village, with wholesale prices ranging from 80-170 baht each.
Mr Aree's family has a large number of customers, mainly from Rayong and Chanthaburi, and each year their sales rise. Now, the family earns more than 400,000 baht.
The villagers normally sell their products at home to traders who buy at wholesale prices. They also supply their blades on order to shops and large home equipment stores, particularly Thai Watsadu which has 45 branches nationwide. The overall income of the village smiths is estimated at 20 million baht a year.
