Crab pulling in Cha-am | Bangkok Post: travel

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Cha-am in Phetchaburi province is a beach town whose many local fishermen are keen at catching blue crabs. Among the most famous groups are the fishermen of Ban Klong Thian and Saphan Hin, who catch blue crabs from the Saphan Hin canal and keep their crab-filled nets submerged in water to ensure freshness. So when buyers come to purchase the crabs, the fishermen simply pull the nets up from the canal and take out the catch. Indeed, this so-called "crab pulling" practice makes Cha-am's crabmeat highly renowned for its freshness and good taste.

A local fisherman in Phetchaburi province takes out blue crabs from a net. The eggs of fertilised females are brought to special crab banks for raising until baby crabs are born, which are then released into the sea. PHOTO: PICHAYA SVASTI

February is the high season for catching blue crab in Cha-am. And food enthusiasts are invited to join the 2nd "Crab Pulling Festival", which will be held Feb 11-19, along Cha-am beach. The festival's objectives are to promote local tourism, preserve the local fishermen's way of life, and encourage people to help in the conservation of blue crabs. Muang Cha-am Municipality regularly gives baby blue crabs to local fishermen to release them into the sea in order to help promote the conservation of the traditional crab catching method as well. It also supports the fishing communities' blue crab banks where crab eggs are deposited for raising until baby crabs are born, then after growing to a certain size they are released into the sea. Each female crab can carry 30,000-1 million fertilised eggs, but no more than 30% of these will produce offspring.

Stir-fried blue crab with curry sauce.

Activities at the festival will include the sale of fresh seafood and blue crabmeat dishes by local fishermen, a demonstration of crab pulling, sale of local products, as well as concerts throughout the entire event.

Call the TAT Phetchaburi Office on 03-247-1005/6 or Muang Cha-am Municipality on 03-247-1123/4.

A charity walking trip

Siam Vision, a cultural group, invites all culture vultures to its charity walking trip to several Buddhist temples and a mosque in Thon Buri's Bang Chak and Bang O areas on Sunday, Jan 29.

Highlights will include these temple's exquisite mural paintings portraying the Lord Buddha's previous lives (jataka) or old Thai traditions. Firstly, participants will gather at the foot of Krung Thonburi Bridge on the Thon Buri side at 8am for a 30-minute briefing on the area's temples and people's riverside lifestyles. Then they will visit Wat Paorohit, whose murals dating back to the Fourth Reign depict Chulaprathum Jataka. The next destination will be Wat Mai Thep Nimitr, whose ordination chapel dates back to the Ayutthaya period and sports splendid conventional mural paintings of the Lord Buddha's 10 previous lives. Before lunch, participants will visit Wat Pakkhaneenart, whose murals depict beautiful Chinese porcelain. At 1:30pm, the group will then proceed to Bang O Mosque located by the Chao Phraya River. This area used to be the centre of logging transport and passenger boat service along the river. From 3-4pm, participants will attend a cultural talk entitled "Riverside Living in Bang O", and taste local dishes, including paeng klok jim khua, as well as sip hot milk tea. Ali Sithi-sa-nguan will talk about the logging business of yesteryears, while Adul Yothasamut will talk about the green passenger boats, and Phum Phutimahatama will talk about the people in Bang O and their way of life.

The walking trip costs 150 baht per person, which covers documents and food. Proceeds will be donated to the inundated temples in Thon Buri. Advance registration is required via prapop1040@yahoo.co.th.

Traditional Dance Festival in the South

The southern province of Phatthalung will host the Music and Dances of Thailand's Four Regions Festival from Sunday, Jan 29-Feb 2 at Phatthalung Dance College in Muang district, with the aim to conserve and promote traditional Thai music and dance, and allow youth an opportunity to showcase their artistic skills. The event also aims to attract more tourists to come visit Phatthalung and learn about Thai lifestyles through local performing arts, music and costumes, said Prapas Inthanapasart, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Hat Yai Office.

The five-day festival will feature the four regions' cultural activities, art, music and dance, as well as models of local villages, lectures and dance demonstrations, traditional music, including Sepa songs, plus the sale of local foods from around the country. Highlights will include the procession of the four regions' art and culture by Chiang Mai, Kalasin, Suphan Buri, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat dance colleges and Suphan Buri and Nakhon Si Thammarat art colleges, as well as Thai and Western music performed by Bunditpatanasilpa Institute's symphony orchestra.

Call 07-461-1614.

If you have any comments or news to share, email pichayas@bangkokpost.co.th.

The nora is a traditional dance of southern Thailand. PHOTO: SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL