Mr. Montri or Uncle Tri Kongyon is a 59 year old former security guard and fisherman in Hua Hin who has found a way to use his skills and experience to secure some income in a novel, inventive and crafty way. He is now hand-making model fishing boats to sell.
Uncle Tri says that starting as a young boy, he worked on fishing boats with his family for more than 40 years catching mackerel and also on squid boats. His father also used to build fishing boats and he was an unofficial apprentice.
When the physical demands of the industry became too much, he decided to leave the industry and then worked as a security guard for more than 10 years. With the arrival of the Covid crisis he had to figure out a new way to earn money.
With his knowledge about fishing boats passed on from generation to generation, Uncle Tri started making small model fishing boat models which became larger and more sophisticated as it turned from being a hobby into a source of income. Each boat is made by hand without design drawings but drawing on memories from the times when he helped his father build working fishing boats.
The main material for the hull is kapok, mango and chamchuree wood which are more suitable to work with and ensures that the boats are ‘sea-worthy’. The structural design is a scaled-down version of typical fishing boats, with three main types being crafted.
The models are around 80 centimetres long, 25 centimetres wide and stand 50 centimetres in height. They can be equipped with a motor and be radio controlled to be used on the water or just for display.
For those who are interested in buying such a genuine hand-crafted model from someone with the best credentials for this unique craft, Uncle Tri says he can be contacted at phone 086 – 1640587.
It’s easy to imagine a real Thailand fishing boat cruising on your swimming pool or lake as a great photo opportunity or source of conversation. You don’t need to be a kid and you’ll know you’ve supported someone using his initiative and skills in tough times.
