If you have an interest in Bangkok’s historic neighborhoods, you may have heard of Ban Bat, a community where artisans still handcraft alms bowls from scratch—despite the existence of industrial mass production. While factory-made bowls can be quickly stamped out on an assembly line, hand-forged alms bowls retain a level of quality, weight, temperature control, and intricate detailing that machines simply cannot match.  

Step into the narrow alleys of Ban Bat, and you’ll find craftsmen scattered across different houses, each working on a different part of the bowl-making process. The journey begins with shaping the rim, where metal strips are bent into a circular form and hammered into place. Next, the cross-brace structure is assembled—metal pieces are cut into a cross shape, bent upwards, and attached to the rim. Then, eight petal-like metal sheets are shaped and notched together to form the body of the bowl. The seams are meticulously welded and hammered to create a seamless structure, followed by detailed texturing, polishing, and smoothing with patterned hammers. Finally, the surface is buffed in a single direction before being blackened or painted—marking the completion of a process that requires the collective craftsmanship of an entire community.

Each handcrafted alms bowl is more than just a vessel—it’s the product of generations of skill, patience, and tradition.

Handcrafted at every step to create alms bowls with quality, weight, temperature, and details that mass-produced bowls simply cannot achieve.

38 Ban Bat Alley, Boriphat Road, Pom Prap Sattru Phai District, Bangkok

Open daily (Monday – Sunday) / 07:30 - 19:00

064-121-6283

กลุ่มอนุรักษ์บาตรไทยและภูมิปัญญาไทย – บ้านบาตร