Mon Wai (Thai Rattan Pillow) — Rattan-Skin Strips Woven Round Two Wooden Cores, 30 × 15 × 8-10 cm, Light, Open and Airy

"Rattan pillows sold generally are woven from strips of rattan bark or rattan skin, 30 cm long, 15 cm wide and 8-10 cm high, in both close and open weaves. Inside, two wooden cores are stretched to keep the pillow in shape." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author ธันวดี สุขประเสริฐ (Thanwadi Sukprasoet), CC BY 4.0)

Use small rattan, no more than 1.5 cm across, such as wai hom or wai takha thong. Split and cut it with an e-to knife, then shave fine strips from the bark or skin with a mit tok strip knife.

Prepare two wooden cores, stretched inside the pillow to hold its shape.

Weave it 30 cm long, 15 cm wide and 8-10 cm high: a close pillow in plain or twill weave (lai khat, lai song), an open one in diagonal weave (lai thaeng). Pierce holes with a lek mat awl to thread rattan for tying the structure and rim, and hold the edge with a wooden clamp while weaving.

Photos of a real open-weave rattan pillow (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author ธันวดี สุขประเสริฐ (Thanwadi Sukprasoet), CC BY 4.0).

Use it as a head rest; the open pillow lets air through and stays cool. Clean it by washing with water and drying it in the sun.

Rattan is a climbing palm, softer than wood but tough, bending well and keeping its shape; villagers weave everything from containers to furniture with it. Large rattan, 2-5 cm across, makes tables, chairs and hammocks; small rattan is split into strips for baskets, takraw balls, khan tok trays and pillows. Take care with the knife and the sharp awl. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "หมอนหวาย", author ธันวดี สุขประเสริฐ (Thanwadi Sukprasoet) (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source gives no weaving order and no size or position for the wooden cores, and there is no listing for rattan, so it is named in the text.