For centuries, Yang trees have provided generously for Thai people. Honey is found among their branches, and mushrooms beneath their canopy. Their wood is used for homes and boats and spirits are said to dwell in their roots. Unfortunately they are constantly under the axe

Chompoo Trakullertsathien

In 1911, the rulers of Chiang Mai and their subjects planted 1,147 Yang na trees (Dipterocarpus alatus) along road 106 linking their province to Lamphun to symbolise a spirit of community. The gummy resin of the tree epitomised the kinship that binds people together.

Today, 80 years on and all but 40 of these picturesque green giants survive and continue to provide shade from the searing sun and a canopy to protect against the cool and the rain.

Amphon Senanarong, president of Kasetsart University Council, said: "Yang trees or trees in the Dipterocarpaceae family have played an important role in the Thai way of life for centuries.

"The wood is used to build houses. The resin produces lacquer and tinder. The fruits of some species serve as herbal medicine. And the name yang appears in the names of many villages, districts and temples in Thailand. But few recognise its value," he said.

Mr Amphon was a panellist at a recent seminar on Thai Culture and the Dipterocarpaceae organised by the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre, Kasetsart University and the Think Earth Project.

The seminar was aimed at gathering and distributing knowledge about the importance of the Dipterocarpaceae in Thai culture, with a view to preserving them. It is hoped the seminar will generate research on the trees and help establish a network to help manage their future.

"To show an awareness about the importance of these trees, His Majesty the King started planting yang trees around his palace in 1961. We can follow in his footsteps. It's the duty of everyone of us to preserve the yang trees," Mr Amphon said.

According to Forestry Department official Wanida Subanasenee, there are more than 50 species in the Dipterocarpaceae family in the Kingdom. And over the centuries they have influenced many aspects of Thai life.

Since bees build their hives on branches of the yang tree, it is also known as ton phueng or the bee tree. To collect honey, villagers in Ban Mae Ma in Chiang Mai province developed a particular skill for picking up hives from high on the yang tree. The activity gave birth to the northern wattanatham karn tee phueng-or the culture of collecting bee hives. Collecting honey requires much patience and bravery. To reach the hive, the collectors often have to climb 40 metres up on pieces of wood nailed to the trunk. Then, a kee tai (a type of tinder made of dried gum) is lit to smoke out the stinging bees, so the hunters can take the hive containing the honeycomb.

"Each village has its own skilful honey hunters. Anybody who sees a hive will tell the collectors where it is. Once they get it, the honey is divided into two parts: one for the collector and the other for the person who found the hive," Ms Wanida said, adding this system of sharing the resources has been handed down from generation to generation.

Numerous wild foods can also be found where yang trees thrive. Many edible mushrooms grow under the tree canopy and they are a main ingredient in many local dishes.

Protein-rich edible snails also live in the hollows of yang trees. Any surplus of food that is collected from the forest is sold in local markets, generating extra income for villagers, Ms Wanida said.

Mai kiem-another tree in the Dipterocarpaceae family-is commonly found in the South. It's wood is used in naam tan sod. Small pieces of mai kiem wood are added to this sweet juice, taken from palmera trees, to stop it turning sour.

Villagers also use the leaves of the pluang tree (Dipterocarpus tuberculatus) as sheets for wrapping sticky rice and desserts. The durable pluang leaves are also tied together to make roofing.

Wood from the yang trees is also extensively used in construction, though some myths abound in this realm.

Another yang tree, mai ta kien (Hopea) is considered to be sacred. It is believed nang mai or nang ta kien (tree spirits) dwell inside the tree. And houses built on a ta kien root can bring bad luck to the owners. The root must be pulled out and kept at a temple if the house is to be built on top of it," Ms Wanida said.

Mai ta kien is also a popular choice of wood for making boats, the traditional transport of many Thai people. Phuthorn Phumadhon, head of the Lop Buri Rajabhat Institute's Cultural Centre said: "In the past, we had all kinds of boats cruising along the Chao Phraya River. The different boats were used for different functions. Ruea moo, for example, was used for fishing. We rarely see such diversity in boats on the waterways now, as in the past."Yang trees provide the main material in building ruea kor lae, the colourful fishing boats unique to the South. To make the boat, mai ta kien thong (or Hopea odorata) and mai ta kien sai (Shorea gratissima) are carved into the curved form of kor lae boat. The wood is then painted with the eye-catching southern designs.

Apart from being a means of transport, boats are also used for racing, fishing and transporting cargo.

And the Dipterocarpaceae was also used to make the royal barges. Narong Pengpreecha, a Forestry Department official, said altogether 48 royal barges have been built from mai ta kien thong.

Unfortunately the usefulness of the yang trees makes them victims of their own success-they keep being chopped down and destroyed.

Between 1993 and 1995, when Chiang Mai city was on the fast track of development, some 40 of the yang na trees along road 106 were cut down to make room for public utilities.

Later, when a footpath was to be built, parts of the remaining trees' root systems were cut off. Somyot Kijkar, a Forestry Department official, said many trees died almost instantly.

"Very often, authorities prune big branches to prevent them from falling down. The removal often leaves the trees leafless," Mr Somyot said.

Since the yang na along the road are now protected by a forestry bill the villagers cannot cut them down. But Mr Somyot said: "They find an easy way to destroy the trees, though, by boring holes on their stem and putting din pra siew (potassium nitrate) inside. This causes the trees to die slowly."Even the honey collectors sometimes injure the trees by hacking steps into the trunk. The wounds and scars allow insects and mould to go inside and devour the wood, Mr Somyot said.

"Other injuries to the trees include nailing traffic signs on them and fastening wire between two trees to make a clothes-line," Mr Somyot said.

Eight years ago, in a bid to save the trees, an ordination ceremony was held on the yang na along the road. Saffron robes were hung around the trees, in the hope that the rite would add sanctity to the trees and save them from further disregard.

Despite the ordination, however, Mr Somyot said some villagers still destroy the trees.

He believes tougher preventative measures are needed to protect these wonderful green giants. Failing such action, he believes the same sad story about the yang na trees along road 106 will be repeated elsewhere.

To preserve the yang trees, which are both an ecological and cultural treasure, we need to educate people about their importance, he said.

Despite their usefulness and place in Thai culture, the number of trees in the Dipterocarpaceae family is fast-decreasing-a result of urbanisation and expansion of agricultural areas. If nothing is done, the trees may eventually be lost and with them a precious part of our culture and our ancestors' wisdom.

© Copyright The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 1999

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