Khan Mak (Thai Lacquered Betel Box) — a Low Woven-Strip Cylinder 25 cm Across and 23-30 cm High, a 5 cm Insert Tray, a Stepped Lid, Lacquered Black or Red

"The khan mak is woven with ordinary strips almost to the mouth, then with phrai strips, which are folded into the rim; it is usually coated with black or red lacquer." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author วิบูลย์ ลี้สุวรรณ (Wiboon Leesuwan), CC BY 4.0)

Split bamboo into strips and weave a low cylinder about 25 cm across and 23-30 cm high with ordinary strips almost to the mouth, then with phrai strips, folded into the rim.

Weave a tray slightly smaller than the box, about 5 cm high, that sits down inside it. Make a lid rising in stepped tiers.

Coat it with black or red rak lacquer. Rak sap irritates the skin: wear gloves when applying it.

Photos of a lacquered khan mak with its insert tray (no lid shown) (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author วิบูลย์ ลี้สุวรรณ (Wiboon Leesuwan), CC BY 4.0).

It holds the betel set. It was once a young woman's personal box from about 14 years old, for jewellery, a handkerchief and small things.

Besides the cylinder, some localities make the khan mak square or in other shapes. Rak sap irritates the skin: wear gloves when applying it. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "ขันหมาก", author วิบูลย์ ลี้สุวรรณ (Wiboon Leesuwan) (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source gives no method for the stepped lid or for lacquering, the photos show no lid, and there is no listing for rak lacquer, so it is named in the text.