The Early Ninth-Century ‘Ban Khlong Yuan’ Lashed-Lug Boat of Chaiya, Peninsular
Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities
Dublin Core
Title
The Early Ninth-Century ‘Ban Khlong Yuan’ Lashed-Lug Boat of Chaiya, Peninsular
Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities
Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities
Description
The Underwater Archaeology Division of Thailand conducted an archaeological expedition in 2019 to trace the wreck
sites in the southern peninsula. As a result, the Ban Khlong Yuan boat (BKY) was found in Surat Thani Province,
southern Thailand. The area supported an urban town and seaport of the Srivijaya Kingdom between the seventh and
twelfth centuries. The remains of the BKY boat were recently re-articulated. The focus of this paper is to present a
brief overview of the reconstruction process, highlight analytical materials found in the wreck, and make comparisons
of the BKY boat with other lashed-lug vessels of the region. A lines plan will be derived from the reconstruction of
the BKY boat and the basic naval architectural data presented. AMS dating and identification of shipbuilding materials
demonstrate that the BKY boat is an early ninth-century lashed-lug boat built of genus Hopea timber, with
boatbuilding techniques comparable to the Punjulharjo boat (Central Java, Indonesia), the Chau Tân boat (Quang
Ngai Province, Central Vietnam), and the Butuan boats (Northern Mindanao, Philippines). Comparisons of lashedlug designs and boatbuilding techniques among these vessels will be explored. The sophisticated boat represents a
boatwright’s intellect of indigenous people in Peninsular Thailand during the ninth century. The widespread lashedlug boats found across Southeast Asian waters reflect skilled local boat-builders, mariners and middlemen who
effectively engaged in transoceanic trade between the east and west at the ports of the dominant polity.
sites in the southern peninsula. As a result, the Ban Khlong Yuan boat (BKY) was found in Surat Thani Province,
southern Thailand. The area supported an urban town and seaport of the Srivijaya Kingdom between the seventh and
twelfth centuries. The remains of the BKY boat were recently re-articulated. The focus of this paper is to present a
brief overview of the reconstruction process, highlight analytical materials found in the wreck, and make comparisons
of the BKY boat with other lashed-lug vessels of the region. A lines plan will be derived from the reconstruction of
the BKY boat and the basic naval architectural data presented. AMS dating and identification of shipbuilding materials
demonstrate that the BKY boat is an early ninth-century lashed-lug boat built of genus Hopea timber, with
boatbuilding techniques comparable to the Punjulharjo boat (Central Java, Indonesia), the Chau Tân boat (Quang
Ngai Province, Central Vietnam), and the Butuan boats (Northern Mindanao, Philippines). Comparisons of lashedlug designs and boatbuilding techniques among these vessels will be explored. The sophisticated boat represents a
boatwright’s intellect of indigenous people in Peninsular Thailand during the ninth century. The widespread lashedlug boats found across Southeast Asian waters reflect skilled local boat-builders, mariners and middlemen who
effectively engaged in transoceanic trade between the east and west at the ports of the dominant polity.
Creator
Wongsakorn Rahothan
Dr Tom Vosmer
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Rahothan, Wongsakorn and Tom Vosmer. 2023. “The Early Ninth-Century ‘Ban Khlong Yuan’ Lashed-Lug Boat of Chaiya, Peninsular Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, Ligaya Lacsina, Agni Mochtar, and Pierre-Yves Manguin. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1944
Files
Citation
Wongsakorn Rahothan and Dr Tom Vosmer , “The Early Ninth-Century ‘Ban Khlong Yuan’ Lashed-Lug Boat of Chaiya, Peninsular
Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1944.
Thailand: comparisons, contrasts and capabilities,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1944.