pla chon (ปลาช่อน)

Thai. Literally ‘spoon fish’, ‘spade fish’ or ‘slice fish’. Name for the Striped Snakehead or Asian Snakehead, a kind of freshwater fish of the genus Channa, with the Latin name Channa striatus or Channa striata (fig.), a commonly found species in Thailand, where it is typically used to make pla yahng kleua, i.e. pla ob kleua (fig.). These fish have and dark greyish olive to light brown body with a pale belly, and 6 to 7 dark diagonal stripes throughout the length of the body, which typically is about 30 to 40 centimeters long, though they may reach lengths of up to a meter. The fins are dark coloured with some pink and light yellowish edges. These fish got their name not only because they have a head that resembles a snake's head, but also because they are able to crawl on land using their pectoral fins in combination with a slithering movement reminiscent to that of snakes. They do this to find a new place to live, or to hide and hibernate underground for months during the dry season, waiting for the new rains to arrive, surviving on accumulated energy and fat reserves. This hibernation is in Thai known as pla chon jam sihn (ปลาช่อนจำศีล), i.e. Asian Snakefish that observe the Buddhist precepts by sitting still and meditate. In northern Thailand, this fish is known as pla lim (ปลาหลิม) and in Isaan as pla kho (ปลาค้อ) or pla kuan (ปลาก๊วน). A specific popular kind of Asian Snakefish, known as pla chon mae la (ปลาช่อนแม่ลา), is found in Singburi province and is named after the river in which typically lives, i.e. the La River, in Thai called Mae Nahm La (แม่น้ำลา). This still river has an abundance of natural food sources, as its tranquility allows for organic matter and minerals to settle on its muddy bottom which is covered with aquatic plants and weeds, that in turn cause the water to cool, making it a prime habitat for these fish. See also PANORAMA PICTURE and WATCH VIDEO. 回