Pong Paeng (Pellet Drum) — a 1-2 Inch Ring Covered with Cellophane on Both Faces, a Bead on a 5 cm String Each Side, and a Bamboo Handle Through the Ring; Twirl It So the Beads Strike the Drumheads

"Twirl it back and forth so the beads strung at the sides swing and strike the cellophane, making a loud pong-paeng." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author not named, CC BY 4.0)

Use scrap tin, card, or thinly shaved bamboo about 1-2 inches wide, bent into a ring about 1-2 inches across. Cut 2 circles of cellophane or plastic bag slightly larger than the ring and glue them over the top and bottom with glue or flour paste. Coloured paper can be pasted round the ring to decorate it.

Pierce a small hole on each side of the ring, opposite each other. Tie a small string about 5 cm long to a small scrap of wood and pass it in through the hole. On the other end thread a bead, or a small lump of wax or lead; do the same on both sides.

Shave bamboo into a small stick of a convenient length. Pierce a hole in the ring midway between the two strings, right through to the other side, and push the stick through so it fits tight. One end pokes out a little; the other is left long as a handle.

Photos of real pong paeng (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author not named, CC BY 4.0)

Hold the handle and twirl it back and forth; the beads swing and strike the cellophane, sounding pong-paeng.

Children used to crowd round the Chinese dyers' drums, so adults made copies for them. The source gives lead as one option for the strikers; lead is a toxic metal, so a children's toy should use beads or wax. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, Traditional Objects of Everyday Use database, "ป๋องแป๋ง", author not named (CC BY 4.0 licence). **Limits** The source gives no handle length. There are no product lines for cellophane, card or general beads.