Community History/Location

Originally, Baan Ku Ka Sing is an ancient community dating back to the historic Khmer period, with evidence of this including terracotta pottery in the 2nd burial ritual and the Khmer ruins. Ku Ka Sing, Ku Po Wit and Ku Po Rakang (‘Ku’ means ‘castle’ in the local dialect) were all located in the same community area, which back then contained a dense forest making it difficult for anybody to live there, while Prang Ku was covered with a bamboo forest. This changed when the people of Suvarnabhumi began to move in and relocate to live at Tung Kula Rong Hai – or today as it is called, Ku Ka Sing. Ku Ka Sing is named because of the oppression of unfair ruler, and named this place according to Khmer ruins, which was a sacred place of the village. Then, when the Suvarnabhumi people began to discover that people have moved to settle in a fertile place called Ku Ka Sing, more people began to follow and move into the place. Gradually, it has become a home of a kinship, where people show more respect to their elders and their main occupation is to farm the surrounding rice fields such as Tung Kula Rong Hai, which contains one of Thailand’s most famous jasmine rice fields.

Location: Moo 2, Ku Ka Sing Sub-district, Kaset Wisai District, Roi Et Province

Primary Occupation

• Jasmine rice cultivation

Secondary Occupation

• Tractor driving
• Hired rice paddy plowing
• Silk weaving

Culture and Traditions

The community here is made up of ethnic Thai-Lao people who maintain their customary 12 important traditions, which includes the popular rocket festival held every year on the first Saturday of the month of May. Additionally, Srong Ku, another local tradition, is held on the night of the full moon in the fifth month of every year. There are also other events such as merit-making, monk ordinations, weddings, Kathin ceremonies and Bun Phawet merit making fairs.

The people here also see ghost-worshipping as part of their tradition. Some of these include the Liang Pu-Ta tradition held on the first Wednesday of the sixth month and Sra Kae offerings usually arranged one week after the Liang Pu-Ta tradition.

Community Identity and Features

All locals enjoy growing Jasmine rice, and Thung Ku La is a region that is renowned nationwide for its Jasmine rice production. Baan Ku Ka Sing is the only ‘tourist’ destination community of Thung Ku La Rong Hai. It is situated upon an ancient civilization with a long and continuous history stretching from pre-history to ancient Khmer, with a Thai-Lao culture that is still alive today. The community became better suited to accommodation tourists thanks to research from the locals, and as a result here are now six unique learning activities as follows:

• Exploring ancient Khmer archaeological sites
• Traditional silk production
• Agriculture based on the self-sufficient economy concept
• Heritage museum of local wisdom
• Local literature
• Local paper-cut pattern restoration

Community Products

• Local silk
• Silk-derived products, e.g., purses, loin cloths, etc.
• Jasmine rice
• Raw fermented fish