Thai. Collective term for gongs, which have many forms and shapes, but the typical handmade Thai gong always consists of a flat disc to which the side is welded and which is hammered into shape that has a centre knob, usually surrounded by smaller nipples. This design is stenciled on the back of the gong with a homemade pair of compasses prior to bangers hammering out the shape into templates engraved into tree stumps that allow for the knob and nipples to be hammered out fully and evenly. After this, the gong is tuned by striking it in different places to listen for acoustic imperfections. Aiming to reduce dissonance in the sound frequencies emitted from the gong, a mallet is then used to make slight alterations. This continues process of striking, listening and fine-tuning is a job reserved only for highly skilled tuners who observe and train for many years to master their skill. Once satisfied with the sound, the gong is coated in enamel and ready for intricate artworks to be hand-painted. The price of a handmade gong greatly depends on the size and the materials used, with metal being the cheapest over the midrange quality of stainless steal to bronze which is the best and most expensive material, as well as the work that goes into the final paintwork, which varies from simple to elaborate. A large-sized and top quality gong can sell for up to over a million bath. Gongs are often found hanging in a krajang (fig.) structure; in between the tusks of an elephant; or from a mai kaan haab-like rod held by two gong bearers, who are usually made from wood and sometimes adorned with gilded lacquer (fig.), or as in Burmese style: carrying a plate gong known as kyi-zi, rather than a kong (fig.). Thai gongs are suspended from the rim which is called chat, after the several layered royal umbrella. It is sometimes referred to as kong mohng (ฆ้องโหม่ง), with the word mohng being an onomatopoeia from the sound produced by striking the gong. Certain types of gong are also used in Buddhism (fig.). Whereas Wat Tham Koo Ha Sawan in Ubon Ratchathani has the World's Largest Gong, the province is also home to the so-called Village of Gongs in Kong Chiam District, nicknamed Gong Highway, where the lives of the people in a line of villages are dedicated to the creation of gongs and where every step in the process of gong making can be observed. It consists mainly of the area along Sathit Nimankan Road, a +30 km stretch of road along which more than 50 family-owned gong production companies are located, who collectively produce around 7,000 gongs each year, from small handheld ones to the large ones often seen at temples across Thailand. See also mohng, TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2) and (3), and WATCH VIDEO. 回