The Auspicious Woven Fish – Pla Tapian Bai Laan

For the past year my aunty who lives two doors down from me has been going through a phase of Marie Kondo-ing her house. She has been living there for over 30 years and still has boxes of things from when she was my age tucked away in multiple rooms. The other day, she walked over with a mystery box and asked if I could help her list things online – inside were hundreds of hand woven gold and silver fish shaped ornaments. “People used to buy these to hand out at weddings”, she told me as she picked some up to admire. I vaguely remember making them as well when I was little, we’d use colourful wire ties and slowly fill up glass jars and display them on the shelf. I knew they were called ‘pla tapian’ (pronounced pla-dtah-pian) but had no idea how an ordinary looking fish found its way into people’s weddings and homes!

Pla tapian or barb fish (pla is fish in Thai) is a common fish found in many fresh bodies of water like rivers, streams, ponds and even flooded rice fields in Thailand. Although insignificant looking, they have become a symbol of abundance, strength and auspiciousness in Thai culture. This is because the barb fish reaches maturity and is filled with delicious fattiness at around the same time that rice is ready to be harvested. It signifies a joyous and fulfilling time for people back in the days – imagine cooking up a freshly caught plump fish and eating it with fragrant newly harvested rice! There is even a saying in Thai, ‘khao mai pla mun’ which translates to ‘new rice, fatty fish’ describing the honeymoon phase of newlyweds.

Pla tapian bai laan or palm leaf barb fish is a craft believed to have originated from Ayutthaya, a city with rich connections to its waterways and an abundance of palm trees growing in the region. Historical records show that this product was sold on a street centuries ago since the Ayutthaya period (14th – 18th centuries). Some say that the Thai-Muslim spice traders who lived on the river in the area were inspired by their environment and were the first to create and sell them. Although the craft of woven pla tapian has spread all over Thailand, Ayutthaya is still the biggest producer of traditional pla tapian bai laan today.

Dried bai laan are long, flexible and durable and can be twisted in all directions without breaking, making it perfect for weaving. Usually two strands of leaves are used to make one pla tapian, however there are other variations that add additional layers to the body or more decorative tails and fins. One use for woven pla tapian is turning it into a fishing rod toy. One big fish is attached to a string tied to the stem of the leaf or a stick. Like a fishing rod, children run around and bob the fish up and down pretending they have caught a fish. Another use is to make them into mobiles, one big fish at the top and a school of small fish hanging just below, creating an image of mama fish and her babies. These were often hung over a baby’s cradle as a toy but also as an auspicious charm, wishing the baby a strong and healthy growth like barb fish during rice harvesting season.

As time went on, the craft of making pla tapian bai laan evolved with the addition of colourful paints and patterns. They are no longer limited to being toys or mobiles or only being made by leaves. My aunty’s version was made with ribbons as wedding favours and mine from shiny wired foil. I’ve seen workshops teaching people how to make their own auspicious pla tapian keychains from strips of recycled leather and designers turning them into bracelet charms and necklaces. Who would’ve thought that an ordinary looking fish could become such a significant object to Thai craft and culture!