I'm sure you're familiar with this. You get a plate of Thai food right in front of you. Not only does it smell delicious, it also looks nice; on the edge are small figures cut from carrot, watermelon, cucumber or any other fruit or vegetable. The Thai art of turning a melon into a boat with a small knife, a pumpkin into a bird or a carrot into a flower is called Kae Sa Luk.

In Thailand it is believed that it originated in the 14th century, when northern Sukhothai was one of the first Siamese kingdoms. In the autumn there is the Loi Krathong festival. Adults and children send boats with candles into the water. At the same time, their worries float away.

Those boats are often decorated with flowers. At the courtyard in Sukhothai, someone came up with the idea of making the Loi Krathong boat extra beautiful with figures carved out of fruit and vegetables. This was so much appreciated that it became an art form and from now on the tables at the Siamese court were decorated in this way.

Nobody really knows for sure whether the art started in Thailand, because it also originated hundreds of years ago in Japan and China. In any case, it has remained popular in Thailand and Kae Sa Luk masterpieces are still sacrificed in temples or used as decoration at weddings. There are annual competitions and in many places (also for tourists) short courses are given.