via Thai PBS, 10 March 2023: Besides Cambodia, Thailand also intends nominate its version of the checkered textile, Pha Khao Ma, as Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Pha Khao Ma can be defined as a checkered cloth about 60-80 centimeters wide 120 to 180cm long. The colors and patterns may vary, depending on where the cloth has been produced. It is also called by different names in different parts of the country.
“Pha Khao Ma has great significance in the Thai way of life. It is omnipresent across the nation and serves various purposes,” said deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul.
The list of Pha Khao Ma’s uses runs long. The cloth is usually tied around the waist of Thai men, who put it to many uses. For instance, if the Pha Khao Ma wearer is perspiring excessively, he can use it as a handkerchief to wipe away sweat or as a fan to cool off. The wearer can also use the Pha Khao Ma as a loincloth when bathing outdoors.
Alternatively, the cloth can be used as a mat when the wearer wants to sit down to rest, or as a head covering to protect themselves from the blazing sun.
Women in the provinces, meanwhile, often use Pha Khao Ma as a cradle for their babies, or just to carry goods or tie things up with.
