KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT OF LOCAL WISDOM IN CAP PRINTING BATIK CLOTH HANDICRAFT IN NARATHIWAS, THAILAND

Abstract

The study focuses on the knowledge management as local wisdom of cap printing batik cloth handicraft in the province. This has certain objectives which are needed to (1) study and to collect both development and processes in producing printing pattern batik in Lumphu, Muang Narathiwas, (2) to learn the methods used in transforming printing pattern batik knowledge in Lumphu, Muang, Narathiwas, and (3) to enable the management of painting batik pattern as a long life knowledge then expose and distribute to members and (4) to investigate stages in order to develop and transmit this local wisdom on printing pattern batik for its own betterment to others and these include students from Art Programme and batik producer members. For the purpose of data collection of this present qualitative research, distributing questionnaires, observing, participating in conducting research, recording conversation, and descriptive data analyzing have been used. And the researchers have collected all necessary and related information from 16 participants and they have 1 community leader, 6 batik producers and 10 students. The results revealed that painting pattern batik has been known for more than 40 years in Thailand. It was found out that printing pattern batik was brought in Lumpoo, Mung, Narathiwas in 28 years by Mr.Waepa Binjemusaw. He set up his factory, which located near the fire station within Narathiwas Municipality. There were only 10 workers at that time. Then his younger brother who is Mr. Weamaso Waedao’ came and helped him in mixing colours as well as painting pattern designing in his factory. Later, his younger brother became the owner of MS Batik factory. There was also a painting pattern batik factory in Sungaikolok that started by Malaysians under the factory named ‘Ambas Qmar’ and he taught his workers from Thailand who went and worked for him techniques in painting and colour mixing dye. Meanwhile, they went to study the techniques of making a good quality print block from experts in Kotabaharu in Malaysia. Whereas they remained the produce processes and yet they just modified a bit in colour mixing dye techniques and pattern designing. The materials used in making batik are 1) Fabrics: the most widely used to make batik is cotton. This is because it is wax writing. The most of the factory in Lumphu used cotton as a result of suits to make sarong and clothes, 2) Colour blocking: there are wax, paraffin wax, raisin (turpentine), tallow and vegetable oil, 3) Batik Dyes: commonly used Reactive Dyes and Napthol Dyes.