The Rock Salt Production and its Trade Route : The Kathin Saltine, Khon Kean Province

Abstract

         As a facet of salt pan containing the large salt dome underneath, there have been the salt production in the primeval community since the prehistoric period.  The study, subsequently, aimed to find out the transition of the rock salt production and its trade route at Kathin saltine, Khon Kean province, from the past to present. The sample groups were purposively selected with 9 key - informants on the origin of the salt production from 8 households of the salt farmers. The research tools consisted of unstructured in - depth interview questions, participatory observations, and group discussions. The crawl locations were gathered by the Global Positioning System (GPS) along the salt trade route. The findings revealed that there were the transitions of the production in the rite of informing the guardian spirit, buildings, salt gutters, containers for boiling salt, and salt baskets. The unchangeable production were season, kindling, and tools for gleaning paddy. In the past, there were 7 trade routes of the rock salt near the source of production in approximately 97 kilometers far. The vehicles of the trading were carts. The salt was traded by 12 kilograms for a container, with the price of 3 - 5 Baht. At present, there are additional 10 trade routes in approximately 237 kilometers far. The vehicles of the trading were trucks, with the price of 150 - 200 Bath and bartering 1 container of rice. This study contributed to support the community strength, to be self - reliance from the local resources, as well as the sustainable rock salt production in the community.