Elderly Mechanic Carves Coconut Monkey Dolls During COVID-19 Crisis

Carving monkey dolls was a hobby

Images adapted from: Phitsanulok Hotnews

Many people looked to different jobs during the COVID-19 crisis. While many are young workers, there are also elderly people who also learned to adapt.

An elderly man in Phitsanulok carves coconuts into monkey dolls for a small income. He sells coconut dolls to passing tourists on the way up Khao Samo Khlaeng.

Each monkey is uniquely carved

Image credit: Phitsanulok Hotnews

The 74-year-old man, nicknamed “Tha Mong”, is a retired mechanic who carved coconuts as a hobby. When he used to repair cars, Tha Mong would carve monkey dolls in his spare time and then give them to his customers as a bonus.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, business at the garage was not good, so he turned to carving the monkey dolls full-time.

Image credit: Phitsanulok Hotnews

Each carefully-carved monkey holds a type of instrument (khaen or flutes) with “THAILAND” written on their arms. Since Tha Mong does it by hand, two monkeys are never the same. If monkeys are not your thing, he also carves bees.

Image credit: Phitsanulok Hotnews

The monkey dolls are ฿100 each and you can order from outside of Phitsanulok as well, for ฿30 shipping fee. You can order them through the telephone number listed below.

Image credit: Phitsanulok Hotnews

It takes Tha Mong around an hour to craft each monkey, and for someone his age, he noticeably does not need eyeglasses while working.

From hobby to livelihood

Finding work becomes harder as you get older due to age making work physically demanding. But you can still find other ways to earn money without the job you had in mind.

But Tha Mong smiles as he works on his dolls, so we are happy for him and wish him the best of luck, as well as other senior citizens who are getting by.

Tookatha Ling Maplao
Address: Klang Phitsanulok-Lomsak Rd., Wang Thong District, Phitsanulok
Telephone: 064 152 9980

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