Folding-book manuscripts are a type of writing material historically used in Mainland Southeast Asia, particularly in the areas of present-day Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. They are known as parabaik in Burmese,[a] samut thai in Thai[b] or samut khoi in Thai and Lao,[c] phap sa in Northern Thai and Lao,[d] and kraing in Khmer.[e]
The manuscripts are made of a thick paper, usually of the Siamese rough bush (khoi in Thai and Lao) tree or paper mulberry, glued into a very long sheet and folded in a concertina fashion, with the front and back lacquered to form protective covers or attached to decorative wood covers. The unbound books are made in either white or black varieties, with the paper being undyed in the former and blackened with soot or lacquer in the latter.[1][2]
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- ^ "Figuring out Folds: Conserving a Thai Buddhist manuscript". Chester Beatty. 13 June 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ Igunma, Jana (7 June 2013). "A Treatise on Siamese Cats". Southeast Asia Library Group (SEALG). British Library. Retrieved 26 June 2017.