Legacy of Chinese immigrant who invented Chanthaburi's magic ring continues
In her 70s, great-granddaughter of goldsmith who came ashore in Thai city and wrought a gold ring of interlocking loops is still turning out the jewellery pieces, writes Violet Law in Chanthaburi
Lying on theThai coast, close to the Cambodian border, the city of Chanthaburi has long been known for its precious stones. In 1408, Chinese traveller Ma Huan made the first known reference to the area's natural bounty: Siam rubies, sapphires and other gems.
This is also where Chinese and Vietnamese first settled in the late 1700s, when Bangkok, 250km to the northwest, was made the Siamese capital. Then came a Chinese goldsmith whose invention is still sought after today.
In the 1850s, a man named Tek plied the waters of the South China Sea before disembarking from his junk and clambering ashore in Chanthaburi. Here, he opened a gold shop and crafted a ring formed of four interlocking loops: a puzzle, or magic, ring. Once taken apart, the four bands of the ring hang loose but remain connected by one loop. How to reassemble it is the puzzle.
Today, a great-granddaughter of Tek, Montha Pumipark, is continuing his work. In public, the septuagenarian is known as Khru (which means "teacher" in Thai) Montha. At 13, she started her apprenticeship in creating puzzle rings, learning from her parents. She was not the family's only student, but her older brother has died and her younger brother has had to retire due to deteriorating eyesight.
Armed with a dozen pliers, two hammers and other tools, Montha crafts gem-studded interlocking gold rings shaped like a crab.