Bangkok Noi Blaze Ban Bu Community

[george]

BANGKOK NOI BLAZE BAN BU COMMUNITY

Rare artwork tools survive fire

BANGKOK: -- Fire swept through the old Ban Bu community in Bangkok Noi district, destroying 35 homes and Thailand's only stone-set bowl store with almost 1,000 products. But it failed to discourage the store's owner, Metta Selanont. The 62-year-old woman and her family's business, the Jiam Saeng Sajja stone-set bowl store, placed Ban Bu community on the city's cultural tourism map. She is the sixth generation of her family to create the ancient artwork passed down from the Ayutthaya Period.

Mrs Metta said she and her sister were the only two in the family creating the traditional bowls. The rest of the family had switched to other careers long ago.

''The store, with all the finished products, was reduced to ashes, with nearly two million baht in damage,'' she said.

Fortunately there were no casualties in the Sunday night fire.

Mrs Metta said it was lucky the fire spared her factory or she would have no idea how to carry on her unique career.

''We still use the original tools that can't be found anywhere. These tools contain great historical value,'' she said.

Mrs Metta said she and her sister generated about 200,000 baht a month from their craft, but most went to pay the salaries of their 20 employees.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin, who visited affected families yesterday, told the women to carry on. He promised to help in the restoration.

Rapeepat Ketkosol of Bangkok's tourism division said Ban Bu was designated one of 12 communities to be promoted under the city's sustainable tourism project to be launched later this month.

The fire would not affect the project, he said, adding community members would be invited to take part in the restoration and development plan.

--Bangkok Post 2006-01-10