


















































Journal of Green Learning


Journal of Green Learning, e-ISSN 2807-890X 

Vol. 2, No. 2, 2022, pp. 86-91.  
DOI: 10.53889/jgl.v2i2.113 

-------------------------------------------------------- 

 

Moon-Mung Phutai: The Process of Creating a Socio-Cultural 

Learning Space through Ethnic Textile Wisdom in  

Sakon Nakhon Basin, Thailand 
 

Nontawan Saenprai
1
, Charin mangkhang

2
, Atchara Kerdtep

3
, Thongchai Phuwanatwichit

3 
 

 
  1

Social Studies Program, Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University, Thailand  
2
Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education,  

Chiang Mai University, Thailand 
3
Department of Human Relation, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University, Thailand 

 

Article Info  ABSTRACT 

Article history: 

Received April 9, 2022 

Revised   May 20, 2022 

Accepted July 15, 2022 

 

 The objectives of this article are to (1) study Moon-Mung Phutai 

in Sakon Nakhon basin in geographic, economic, social and 

cultural aspects; (2) study Moon-Mung of the ethnic textile 

wisdom of Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin, Thailand, and (3) 

synthesize the pattern of the process of creating social-cultural 

space in terms of ethnic textile wisdom of Phutai in Sakon 

Nakhon basin, Thailand. This study uses the qualitative study 

method and participant observation. The results of the study 

found that (1) Moon-Mung Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin area 

that is still preserved or inherited include belief in spirits and 

soul, language, food, weaving wisdom and fabric patterns, 

although their residence and occupation have changed (2) textile 

wisdom of Phutai ethnicity in Sakon Nakhon basin area is the 

ability of Phutai women to weave clothes for household use 

especially the Sarong which is called Tinto that has a specific 

aspect and an indigo-dyed three-quarter sleeve shirt, (3) the 

pattern of the process of creating a social and cultural space in 

terms of ethnic textile wisdom of Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin 

is divided into 2 levels. 

 

Keywords: 

Ethnic  

Phutai 

Sakon Nakhon basin  

Textile wisdom  

This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA license. 

 
Corresponding Author: 

Nontawan Saenprai,  

Social Studies Program  

Faculty of  Education  

Chiang Mai University  

Thailand  

Email: nontawan_s@cmu.ac.th 

 

1. INTRODUCTION  

The historical landscape of Sakon Nakhon basin consists of 8 provinces namely Sakon 

Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Loey, Nong Bua Lamphu and 

Bueng Kan. Sakon Nakhon basin is a place of civilization that has been inhabited by humans 

since prehistoric times of Ban Chiang era which came to set up a place of various ethnic 

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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groups that leads to the cultural diversity (Institute of Language, Arts and Culture, Sakon 

Nakhon Rajabhat University, n.d.). It has been inherited and passed on until the present, 

especially in the field of ethnic textile wisdom. 

 Culture is a symbolic system in which people of the same ethnic group or people 

living in the same society share a common culture. It has been passed down from generation 

to generation like textile culture that it is one of the four essentials for life that can indicate the 

status of the wearers (Fuengfusakul , 2003; Ganjanapan, 2008; Chudhavipata, 2012). It can 

also be a social aid and show the status of women because weaving is a duty of women both 

at the household and community levels (Phassadu, 1992). Most of the transmission is 

transmitted to female members (Kaewthep, 1998). There is an accumulation of wisdom that 

has been passed on from generation to generation. Phutai people are considered to be one of 

outstanding ethnicities in textile wisdom that has been recognized and passed down to the 

present day such as the Mekong literature that is entitled “Phaya Khamkong teaches slaves” 

wherein excerpts from the poem stated that; 

 

   Lady, you should learn the knowledge Khit design,  

Loom weaving learn how to grow the mulberry 

Weaving cloth and silk sewing clothes 

    Learning to pick up and embroidering Saew 

Dyeing silk, cotton hook 

Learning and adjusting the color, lady 

 

 The lines of this ancient poem mean that in being a woman one has to learn weaving, 

doing Khit, growing mulberry, silk weaving, sewing, embroidery, dyeing silk threads, cotton 

threads, and tying because they reflect the role of women. In the past, weaving was a duty of 

women and to be able to weave leads to being a factor of family clothing (Chathiphot, 2010; 

Chathiphot, 2017). Therefore, the inheritance of weaving wisdom is important that has been 

passed on from generation to generation (Boonthieng, 2016). 

 “Moon-Mung” means inheritance so Moon-Mung Phutai in this research means the 

cultural heritage that is related to the ethnic textile wisdom of Phutai which appears in an 

individual way of life and common identity. It is for the existence of ethnic groups in a 

multicultural society through the creating process of a social-cultural space in the field of 

textile wisdom which may have to borrow cultural features from other cultures to mix them 

together. However, the Phutai people were forcibly brought from the left bank of Mekong to 

Thailand (Komolmal & Cadchumsang, 2018). Although there were new settlements in new 

areas but in terms of dress, beliefs, language and food wisdom, there are still the cultural 

heritages of the group as usual and the cultural inheritance of Phutai ethnic group still 

maintains the identity and the cultural inheritance very well (Burrell, 2009; Chaiyakhan, 

2013). Therefore, the researcher is interested in this study, Moon-Mung Phutai: The process 

of creating a social-cultural learning space through ethnic textile wisdom in Sakon Nakhon 

basin, Thailand. There were issues in the study of Moon-Mung Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin 

in terms of history, economy, society, and culture aspects (Cheesman, 2004). 

 

2. METHODOLOGY 

Knowledge of ethnic textile wisdom of Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin, Thailand and 

synthesizing the pattern of the process of creating social-cultural learning space in terms of 

ethnic textile wisdom of Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin, Thailand. The information was 

described and the data was compiled and examined by focus group discussion to check the 

facts. Then, the data was synthesized and used the presentation of research results by 

descriptive analysis. This study has 5 main processes as the following:  



88 

 

The first step, the study of documents and the conceptual framework of digital 

antropology is the study of documents and researches that is related to Phutai ethnic group 

and the study of documents and research papers that is related to the concepts and theories 

used in this research. To provide information on historical, economic and social contexts, as 

well as information about the identity of the Phutai ethnic group and information related to 

concepts and theories. There is also a study through the digital antropology framework which 

is the study of digital space that is now regarded as the world of digitalization 

(Kapilakanchana, 1987). 

The second step, the multi-method community study is a study of data from 2 parts: 

data from documents and data from field studies to know the contextual information on the 

area and the identity of Phutai ethnic group in Sakon Nakhon basin that include information 

on the creating process of cultural social area of Phutai ethnic group in Sakon Nakhon basin. 

The third step, the participatory field study is a field visit to study the information on 

the economic, social, historical context and identity of Phutai ethnic group by choosing to 

study Phutai people in Nong Sung district, Mukdahan Province, Phanna Nikhom district and 

Waritchaphum district, Sakon Nakhon province and Renu Nakhon district, Nakhon Phanom 

province and other areas who have knowledge of textile wisdom. 

The fourth step, data analysis is a study that analyzes data from documents and field 

study to suggest guidelines for creating social-cultural areas through the ethnic textile wisdom 

in Sakon Nakhon basin. The results were reflected by group discussion to verify the accuracy 

of information. 

The fifth step, summarizing and proposing research innovations. It is the use of all 

information that was obtained to draw conclusions and integrate the learning process of local 

studies. 

  

3. RESULT AND DISCUSSION  

Moon-Mung Phutai in Sakon Nakhon basin area that are still preserved or inherited 

includes superstition and soul, language, food, wisdom of weaving and fabric patterns. The 

things that are changed include residence and occupation. That is, the minorities learn to live 

with nature in balance by cooperitng with nartual environemnts (Lefebvre, 1991; Leepreecha, 

2004). 

Moon-Mung  Phutai of ethnic textile wisdom in Sakon Nakhon basin area is the ability 

of Phutai women to weave cloth for household use (Ketsingsoi, 2011; Boonpila, 2015; 

Changruea, 2016). Especially, Sarong that has a specific character called Tinto and an indigo-

dyed three-quarter sleeve shirt. The weaving pattern is influenced by the Buddhist belief and 

the influenced by the adaption to suvive with natural environments (Figure 1). 

The pattern of the process of creating a social-cultural space in terms of textile 

wisdom of Phutai ethnic group in Sakon Nakhon basin area is divided into 2 levels: the 

individual level where the area is created through the belief in Buddhism. As a result of 

tourism, the Phutai ethnic group is known. In addition, the area was created through the 

integration of the consciousness of one ethnic group through the World Phutai Association. 

For the common identity level, Phutai ethnic group represents as a symbolic interaction that 

depends on the social structure that is creating an area of textile wisdom through educational 

institutions and the monarchy (Mankhoksoong, 2004; Moryadee, 2010; Linphosan, 2012).  

 

 



89 

 

 
 

Figure 1  Phutai ethnic group performed dancing to worship  

Phra That Choeng Chum, Sakon Nakhon province 

         

Phutai ethnic group has a symbolic approach to fighting, negotiate and adaptation so 

that their group can coexist with social structures that rely on new centers of power both in 

terms of history, economy, society and culture. It is by bringing the matter of religion, 

spiritual worship and textile wisdom to create a social area (Mangkang, 2016; 

Pananankhonsab, 2017).  

The process of creating a social and cultural area of Phutai ethnic group in Sakon 

Nakhon basin is a creation of an area through religion (Pha-in, 2016). The results showed that 

it influences to tourism, creating a learning space through the collective consciousness of 

Phutai ethnic group, creating space through educational institutions and creating space 

through the monarchy (Dumrongsakul, 2011; Narkurairattana, 2015; Nitipaparnan, 2015). 

 

4. CONCLUSION  

A process of creating a social-cultural learning space in terms of textile wisdom of the 

Phutai ethnic in Sakon Nakhon basin, Thailand. It is the creation of a space through a unique 

dress that can create acceptance from other ethnic groups in a multicultural society. In the 

educational model of Thailand, there has been a discrepancy in the understanding of Phutai 

ethnic group about textile wisdom. Therefore, the curriculum and social studies textbooks 

need to be reviewed to create the learning process for local studies. 

 

5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT  
I would firstly like to thank all teachers for their advice throughout my dissertation 

conducting, including Professor Dr. Supachai Singyabuth, the committee chairperson for his 

service and valuable suggestions, and Associate Professor Dr. Charin Mangkhang, my 

dissertation advisor, for his encouragement and teaching with his spirituality in teaching as a 

giver. As well as Associate Professor Dr. Atchara Kerdtep, Associate Professor Dr. 

Thongchai Phuwanatwichit, and Associate Professor Dr. Jarunee Dibyamandala for their 

advice and constant encouragement.    

 

 

 



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