Chong is a native people of Trat province, who live along the border and foothills. They like to make a living in the jungle, such as farming in the foothills of the mountains. They believe in Buddhism religion and Ghost. Chong live in Khao Saming district, particularly in Khao Saming sub-district and Tha Som sub-district. Mueng district, Bo Rai district. Nowadays, Chong that live close to Thai native had modified their culture and language to be Thai already.¹

         Sam-Re is an ethics group that close to Chong. Their body’s shape is similar to Chong ethnics, which is small, dark skin, and curly hair. Assume from the language spoken “Sam-Re” which is classified as Bieic line in the Mon-Khmer language family. This ethnic group is still unclear whether their original settlement was in Trat or not, or migrated from Cambodia. Since, it appears that there are Sam-Re speaking people in the area of Phanom Krawan hill, in the south-western of Cambodia. In Trat province, there is a group of Sam-Re people in Dan Chumphon sub-district, Bo Rai district, Trat province.²

         Kasong is a minority group of Trat province, that have just been discovered lately in languages map of Thai’s ethnics group, from the evidence of Mon-Khmer language family, Bieic line as the same as Chong ethnics group. Most of Chong make living by seeking goods in forest and rubber farming. They are found living in Bo Rai district, Trat province. Currently, there are about 50 Kasong people, and only less than 10 people can speak Kasong.³

         All these three ethnics groups share the same physical and linguistic characteristics, that people in Trat called these ethnic groups together as Chong.

Ethnic groups Trat province

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¹ Apiluck Kasempholakul (2010) Historical Research to commemorate the King project “ Follow the royal visit at Koh Chang, Trat province” (2nd edition). Bangkok: Sahathamig, 59

² เรื่องเดียวกัน,59.

³ เรื่องเดียวกัน,60.