[gong sounds]
The unmistakable sound of the gong
has held spiritual significance
in Southeast Asia for centuries.
Hand beaten from sheet materials,
the labor-intensive shaping and delicate paintwork
result in beautiful percussive instruments.
Souvenir gongs can be bought for just a few dollars,
but large, finely tuned gongs made from the best materials
can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
So, what are gongs actually used for?
And why are they so expensive?
This is Thailand's "gong highway,"
a 21-mile stretch of road that is home
to more than 50 family-owned gong companies,
who collectively produce roughly 7,000 gongs each year.
[gong sounds]
In the heart of the gong highway
is Bunrak Seechana's workshop.
As a third-generation gong maker,
Bunrak has been studying
and practicing gong making for almost 50 years.
Narrator: The process begins by cutting
the sheet material into a circle.
No materials go to waste here.
Even the offcuts are used
to make the largest shape possible.
It's at this early stage
where the eventual cost of each gong is determined.
Narrator: Once the edges have been smoothed,
a welder attaches the sides.
This flat dish is then ready to be hammered into shape.
The gongs made here in Thailand are of the bossed variety,
where a center knob is surrounded by smaller nipples.
This design is stenciled on the back of the gong
with a homemade compass,
and bangers begin to hammer out the shape.
The bangers use templates engraved into tree stumps
that allow the knob and nipples
to be hammered out fully and evenly.
Then comes the hardest part, the tuning.
[gong sounds]
Tuners observe and train for years to master their skill.
He strikes the gong in different places
and listens for acoustic imperfections.
[gong sounds]
Using a mallet to make slight alterations,
he continues this process, hoping to reduce dissonance
in the sound frequencies emitted from the gong.
Narrator: Once satisfied with the sound,
the gong is coated in enamel,
ready for intricate artworks to be hand painted.
Bunrak's workshop produces gongs
of all different shapes and designs,
including specially made gongs,
which can sell for up to 1 million baht,
or around $33,000.
Narrator: The cultural significance of gongs
is clear to see in Ubon Ratchathani,
a major city at one end of the gong highway,
where the world's largest gong towers
stand proudly next to the Wat Tham Khuha Sawan temple.
The use of gongs is deeply ingrained in Buddhism,
and according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand,
the gong highway is responsible for supplying
most of the country's 30,000 Buddhist temples
with their gongs.
So, what about the rest of the world?
In the West, gongs have become commonplace
not only in popular culture,
but also in meditation studios and symphony orchestras.
The largest non-Asian gong manufacturer
is Paiste, based in Germany.
It's been producing gongs since 1906,
and its largest gong, an 80-inch symphonic model,
retails for around $27,000.
[gong sounds]
This type of flat-face gong,
sometimes referred to as a tam-tam,
gives more of a "crash" sound,
which is different from the tuned tones of a bossed gong.
[gong sounds]
Paiste's methods for producing gongs
are more scientific than those on the gong highway,
with acoustic testing equipment
used to evaluate the gong's frequency.
But the quality and traditional craftsmanship
at Bunrak's workshop is clear to see,
and the historical importance of the gong
is felt throughout Southeast Asia.