Bet Pla Na (Thai Paddy-Field Hook Rod) — a 90 cm Bamboo Rod Smoked Over the Hearth, Staked Along the Bunds for Walking Catfish, Snakehead and Climbing Perch

"Bamboo is cut into lengths of about 90 centimetres, the butt end sharpened to a point, then the inner flesh is whittled away and the rod shaved smooth and flat over the last 40 centimetres to the tip, with a small notch at the tip." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author ทำนุ วรธงไชย (Thamnu Worathongchai), CC BY 4.0)

Cut bamboo about 90 cm long, sharpen the butt to a point, whittle away the inner flesh, and shave the rod smooth and flat over the last 40 cm to the tip, with a small notch at the tip. Make many rods.

Light a fire of bamboo scraps and warm the rods over it to drive out the sugars and moisture, then lay them on a rack above the cooking fire, so the morning and evening fires dry them again and the smoke cures the wood hard and strong, keeping out termites, borers and insects. Take care with the fire.

Tie a cord loop at the middle of the rod to hook the hook onto when not in use. Tie monofilament to the rod's tip and the other end to the shank of a small hook hammered thin, with the takrut bet knot, then tie it round once more to make it fast.

Photos of a real bet pla na from the Nong Bua Khok Folk Museum (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author ทำนุ วรธงไชย (Thamnu Worathongchai), CC BY 4.0).

In the middle of the rainy season, when the rice is heading and tillering, bait the hooks with worms, stake the rods in a row along the bunds about 3 metres apart and lower the hooks into the paddy water. Many rods are used at once; the fish must be taken off and the bait replaced all through the night.

Rods bought in the market are sold in bundles of 100; if they have not been smoked the village way, tapping them on a hard surface raises a cloud of bamboo dust and borer frass. Villagers who fish as a side income use 200-300 rods. The name of the takrut bet knot is believed to come from tying a takrut amulet. Take care with the fire when heating the rods. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "เบ็ดปลานา", author ทำนุ วรธงไชย (Thamnu Worathongchai), Nong Bua Khok Folk Museum, Buriram (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source does not give the size of the hook or the line.