Sompot chong kben

Sompot chong kben (Khmer: សំពត់ចងក្បិន, sâmpót châng kbĕn [sɑmput cɑːŋ kɓən])^[1] is a unisex, lower body, wraparound cloth. It originates from ancient Cambodia and was adopted in the neighbouring countries of Laos and Thailand,^[2] where it is known as pha hang (ຜ້າຫາງ [pʰȁː hǎːŋ]) and chong kraben (โจงกระเบน [tɕōːŋ krābēːn]). It is a common choice of clothing for women of middle to high socioeconomic status.

Sompot chong kben (សំពត់ចងក្បិន)^[3] is a combination of three Khmer words: សំពត់ (/sɑmpʊət/, sampot),^[4] a long, rectangular cloth worn around the lower body; ចង (/cɑɑŋ/, chang),^[5] to wrap around, and ក្បិន (/kbən/, kben),^[6] referring to the lower body cloth wrapped around the waist and then pulled back between the legs and tucked in at the back. The name of this cloth, kben or chong kben, literally means "to wrap or to wear the kben" in Khmer. Chong kraben (โจงกระเบน) is used among Thai people and derived from these Khmer words.^{[citation needed]}

This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This section's factual accuracy is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. (June 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This section contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. (June 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The history of sompot chong kben dates back to ancient Cambodia, where deities were often portrayed wearing such clothing. It is believed the Khmer people in Funan began wearing sompot chong kben, following the Indian traditional wear of the dhoti^[7], which was imported to the Funan Kingdom by King Kaundinya I in the 1st century CE.^[8] Due to Indian influence, Suryavarman II built temples such as Angkor Wat that were dedicated to Hinduism. During the Khmer empire, most people would likely be able to see the Reamker at Angkor Wat on a carving on the first floor. Prayers and blessings were also given to a deva known as Hanuman, the guard of Prince Rama in Ramayana, as well as in the Khmer adaptation, Reamker. To show Hanuman's power, Indians wore the dhoti. The Dhoti is still worn for formal and ceremonial events in mainland Southeast Asia.^[9] The sompot chong kben is sometimes worn with a “tail” of cloth at the back, a feature that is commonly interpreted as representing Hanuman. This practice led many people to believe that all Indians were guards of Hanuman. The influence of the dhoti was strongly incorporated into Khmer culture from ancient times to today.^[10][11]

• 
  6th century Khmer depiction of Balarama wearing sompot chong kben from Phnom Da temple, Angkor Borei, Takeo, Cambodia. Now exhibits in National Museum of Cambodia.
• 
  Envoy of Funan to the Liang dynasty wearing a sampot chong kben by painter Gu Deqian of the Southern Tang dynasty (937–976 CE).
• 
  Murder of the Cambodian King and his son in 1642, from a Dutch engraving.
• 
  Photograph of Prince Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and his two younger brothers wearing chong kraben in 1851
• 
  Photograph of a 19th century Siamese boatman, photographed by John Thomson
• 
  Photograph of Queen Saovabha Phongsri, principal consort to King Chulalongkorn
• 
  Khmer royal ladies wearing sompot chong kben and sbai in the mid-1800s.
• 
  Khmer woman wearing sompot chong kben
• 
  Mannequins wearing sompot chong kben at the Royal Palace of Cambodia
• 
  A Khmer traditional dancer in sompot chong kben

• Dhoti
• Sampot
• Sampot chang samluy
• Khmer traditional clothing
• Traditional Thai clothing