This story explains the history of Mr. Bouli Suwannakot, or Granpa Loei’s, village. Some trouble happened and villagers had to migrate from Attapeu (in present-day Lao PDR). Grandpa Loei’s mother was ethnic Pong. His father was ethnic Thai So, but he was not exactly sure. They traveled in a boat and went into the mouth of Songkram River in Ta Au Tain. They then found a pond at Ban Had Chiang Kluer.

There was Pu Hor close to the mouth of Kan River near Dan Sai Town. There was also a mountain along Mekong River. Kan River flew from Nong Krasae to Krabong Phet Town, where drought occurred seasonally. During the rainy season, sand flew into Mekong River. Many ethnic Thai lived around the area. Granpa Loei was a son of a salt maker.

One rhinoceros lived in the forest near Songkram River. The rhinoceros always drank water from the river and licked salt on the riverbank. One day, a king brought his rhinoceros with him to the area and saw the forest rhinoceros resting near the riverbank. The king shot the forest rhinoceros. The rhinoceros died. The bullet went through the animal and spattered to the riverbank. The stream was then named Huay Luk Puen, or the bullet stream.

The king shared the rhinoceros meat with his people. While they were sharing the meat among themselves, a big storm came. The rain fell on the meat. They meat then turned into a red stone. Many years later, people living in the area saw water inside the red stone. They took the water out and boiled it. The water turned into salt. So, the villagers decided to use for cooking and also making pickled fish for trading.

Some villagers told that part of the meat and the head of the forest rhinoceros fell into the river, but they never decayed. So, the villagers used the river water to produce salt. A salt market developed. Many people moved to the area. The area was expanded.

A spirit named Tao Si Thon Khamdang, or Jaopor Khamdang, lived in the area. When many people came to produce salt, the spirit became annoyed. So, he decided not to give salt to them. He also caused them trouble so that they could no longer stay there. The salt makers were in trouble and went to ask a fortune teller for advice. The fortune teller told them to build a shelter for Tao Si Thon Khamdang and appointed a man to contact the spirit. After this, peace came to the area.

The area became famous for salt. More and more people came to produce salt for trade. They sold a small wicker basket and exchanged it with 12 kilograms of salt for one package. Salt production in the area attracted many traders, who came to trade salt. They set up Ban Leng Puay as a place to collect firewood for salt-making. Grandpa Sida, Grandpa Yuad, Grandpa Hamr, Grandpa Kongtur, Grandpa Ba, Grandpa Sithon, Granpa Buncha, and Grandpa Wanna from Ban Tal Diew and Ban Pak E Tu were among the first group of people who came to make salt in the area. Then, Grandma Pai and Granpa Ta migrated from Ban Muang to set up Ban Lueng Puay. The village got expanded later. New migrating traders included Mun Jundeefong and many more people who moved to stay in Ban Ta Saard near a big tree along the riverbank. The area became a big trading post for salt. The area then was named Ta Saard Village.

Salt traders came to buy salt in a big boat. Each boat was 40 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 2 to 3 meters deep. Around 20 crew members rode boat. They purchased around 6 tons of salt and traveled to trade it at the mouth of Songkram River in Chaiyaburi. Also came 5 to 7 small boats, which could carry 2 to 3 tons of salt and sell it along the river. Salt traders sometime went as far as to Vientiane. Some traders transported salt by cart.