Rong Thao Mai (Wooden Sandal) — a Foot-Shaped Teak Sole with Three Holes for a Jute Strap, Worn in the Forest Against Thorns

"To make wooden sandals, use a teak board 1-2 centimetres thick, as long as the wearer's foot, as the sole; hew the board into two foot-shaped pieces and drill three round holes for threading the strap. The strap may be animal-hide cord or jute cord, but jute is mostly used." (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author สนม ครุฑเมือง (Sanom Khrutmueang), CC BY 4.0)

Stand on a hardwood board 1-2 cm thick and draw round both feet; hew and cut to the outline and smooth the edges.

Drill three round holes in each sole: one between the big toe and the second toe, and two on either side of the middle of the foot.

Thread jute cord through the front hole, split it into two straps to the two side holes, knot it firmly under the sole and adjust its length to the foot.

Real photos of a รองเท้าไม้ (rong thao mai) from ศูนย์วัฒนธรรมไทลื้อ (วัดหย่วน) (Tai Lue Cultural Centre (Wat Yuan)) (Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, author สนม ครุฑเมือง (Sanom Khrutmueang), CC BY 4.0)

Before putting them on, dip the straps in water or wet them by hand so they soften and do not chafe between the toes. Villagers usually carried them and put them on on reaching thorny forest.

Thai people in the past seldom wore shoes; wooden sandals were made for going into the forest to gather mushrooms, bamboo shoots and wild fruit. Later, rubber and foam sandals replaced them. Source: Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre, database of traditional everyday objects, "รองเท้าไม้", author สนม ครุฑเมือง (licence CC BY 4.0), from the Tai Lue Cultural Centre (Wat Yuan), Phayao. **Limits.** The source gives no hole positions; the positions in the model are examples. Any hardwood board can stand in for teak.