Photographic Essay Namphee, Uttradit Province, Thailand

[Nathaniel]

Uttradit Province in Northern Thailand

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[Nathaniel]

Borlek Namphee Fok Museum


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[Nathaniel]

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Pra Saeng = "Sword of the State" single edge blade for soldiers

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[Nathaniel]

Pra Khan = "Sword of the King" = Double Edge Blade...
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The Pra Khan is one of the 12 sacred symbols of the King. Here is a picture of the HRM King Rama IV bestowing rank upon a high ranking police officer:

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[Nathaniel]

Namphee utility tools

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The famous two Namphi iron pits: Bor Pra Khan & Bor Pra Saeng...named for the two different types of swords made from each pit

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[Nathaniel]

Here you can see at the iron pits you can fish for pieces of iron with a bamboo rod with a magnet attached to the end

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Namphee Shrine to famous sword smiths

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[Nathaniel]

Small Thai Spirit House Shrine
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Museum Store

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[Nathaniel]

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Monks shopping for small knives that Thai monks traditionally carried for protection, my fiance said

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[Nathaniel]

Here are some pictures of a Namphee forge I went to down the road....

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[Nathaniel]

Very Famous Thai Hero, Phraya Pichai from Uttradit Province, as seen on the back of a truck

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Phraya Pichai
1741-1782 A.D.

The Siamese hero known as Phraya Pichai was born Thongdee Fan Kao in Uttarradit. As a young boy he loved Muay Thai boxing and studied with many teachers. When he was twenty years old he attended a Muay Thai contest in the town of Tak where he soundly defeated the local champion, a master named, Arjarn Nai Hao. This brought the notice of General Taksin who asked Nai Thongdee to join his army and be his personal bodyguard. He would eventually work his way up to the rank of commander-in-chief.

In 1773 using guerrilla tactics, Phraya (general) Nai Thongdee captured the city of Pichai, expelling the Burmese oppressors. Nai Thongdee went into battle with a Namphi sword named "Nantakawut" in his left hand and an ordinary sword in his right. After many fierce clashes, he slipped and used his ordinary sword to catch his balance by sticking its point into the ground. As he leaned on the sword it broke in half. Nai Thongdee fought on with both swords and he led his army to victory forcing the Burmese to flee back across the border.

As a result of this battle he was known as ‘Phraya Pichai Daab Hak’ (Daab Hak) meaning broken sword.

Taken from http://www.universalswordsman.com/ThaiQuotes2006.htm

[Nathaniel]

Small Phraya Pichai statue in a thai house I visited...outside of Uttradit Province...

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[Nathaniel]

Here are the pictures of the Namphee sword and knife I bought there:

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[Nathaniel]

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[Nathaniel]

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[rand]

Great posting, thanks for sharing your photo's. Interesting to see that exhibits of this type are available there, would seem to indicate their cultural value for the sword.

rand

[VANDOO]

VERY INTERESTING PHOTOS, IF I AM EVER IN THE AREA I WILL BE SURE TO GO FOR A VISIT. IT IS GOOD TO SEE THAT THE ART AND HISTORY OF SWORDMAKEING IS STILL IMPORTANT IN THAILAND.
THE DOUBBLE EDGED PRA KHAN SWORD HAS A BLADE SHAPE THAT ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THE SHAPE OF SOME OF THE OLD BRONZE SWORDS. I HAVE ALSO SEEN THAT SHAPE BLADE ON INDONESIAN KERIS AND ON ONE OCCASION ON A LARGE SWORD KRIS OF EITHER MALAYSIAN OR PHILIPPINE ORIGIN.