Yang talat: A 65-year-old former van driver with a passion for art learns by observing and imitating others, collecting scraps of wood to make hammock legs and furniture for sale, earning an average of 10,000 baht per month.
According to Thai News Agency, a reporter visited Nong Kung Village, Moo 1, Khao Phra Non Subdistrict, Yang Talat District, and met Mr. Khamphaeng Pholsen, or Uncle Phaeng, who was seen pushing a cart loaded with scraps of wood he had collected from fields. Uncle Phaeng explained that he had obtained permission from the wood owners for some of the wood he used. He collects the scraps to create handicrafts for sale to customers. His tools consist only of a hand saw, a hand grinder, a hammer, and nails.
Uncle Phaeng demonstrated how to assemble his wooden creations, making hammock legs for both children and adults. He also makes furniture such as tables, chairs, and sofas to sell within the community. He's so busy he can't keep up with customer demand because he sells them at affordable and friendly prices. Customers contact him constantly, and sometimes he doesn't even charge for his work, simply exchanging his creations for wood or scraps. He then uses the profits to create smaller handicrafts to sell.
Upon inquiry, Mr. Phaeng revealed that he had been seriously pursuing woodworking for about two years. Initially, he worked through trial and error, producing rough, unrefined pieces because he had only recently started in the field. With practice, he gained expertise and his work became more refined, though still in a simple style-without polishing or lacquering. He decorates his creations with animal, leaf, and flower motifs based on his imagination. Mr. Phaeng added that he only completed high school (Grade 12) and then worked as a tractor driver for a construction company. When the construction business faced problems, he invested with relatives in a van to provide transportation services for clients across the country. It was at this point that he saw many different wooden products, which inspired him to try his hand at carpentry someday.