Page 138 - The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand Vol.XIII-2021

The International Journal of the Royal Society of Thailand
Volume XIII – 2021

Cantonese man named Chin Kui came to do trade by Chinese junk and settled

down in Ban Khlong Rong Chang in Ratchaburi before he became a civil servant.
One of his descendants, Chin Kun, resided near the Mae Klong River Mouth
(Walwipha and Supang, 1991: ). Some evidence to prove that they had lived along

that river is a relief sculpture of Chinese junk and a Chinese community in Bang Ka
Phom Temple in Amphawa established during the early Rattanakosin Period.
Skinner noted that during that period, the Chinese that migrated to the coastal

areas of Siam were those living along the coast of Guangdong, most of whom were
from Ch’ao Chou and described their influx during the reign of King Rama I as

follows: “…From 1800 - 1810, Cantonese farmers began to move inland further
from coastal and waterfront towns. They moved to Chanthaburi, Bang Pakong, the
lower Chao Phraya River, the Tha Chin River and the Mae Klong River...” (Charnvit,

2005).

During the reign of King Rama IV and King Rama V, another wave of
Chinese migration was witnessed over the Mae Klong Basin after Phasi Charoen

Canal, Damnoen Saduak Canal and Bang Nang Li Canal had been dug. They grew
vegetables and fruit trees and set up stalls for exchanging products made in towns

with wooden rice and farm products. In addition, they were good at making
agricultural tools such as knives, hoes, spades and shovels. Those who lived near
the Gulf of Thailand did fisheries and preserved marine animals such as making

fish sauce. They also did sea salt farming. Like what they did in their homeland,
China, as for sea salt farming, they divided the salt-affected land into five plots.

During the reign of King Rama V, the Chinese communities expanded and

became permanent due to the emerge of markets accommodating row houses
along the river mouths. These markets connected the transport along the Mae

Klong River with farming communities along the canals or its tributaries. Initially,
the markets with wooden rowhouses were waterfront rafts. These Chinese
markets served as a center at the mouth of canals for farmers to come and sell

their products. The farmers would come here according to lunar-based calendar.
Such organized Floating markets were Bang Nok Khwak Market, Don Manora

128 Urban Settlements, Religion and Spirit of Places along the Mae Klong River, Thailand