This type of drum originated in China around the 8th Century B.C., and from there moved into the surrounding cultures. In the early 1900's, the German archaelogist, F. Heger, classified the Southeast Asian drums, putting those particularly associated with Burma and Thailand into the 'Heger III' category. These are generally concluded to have emerged in around the 10th Century A.D. and their manufacture continued into recent times.

The slightly tapering sides with the top, or tympanum, extending beyond the profile are characteristics of the Heger III drums. The central star represents the sun, and the concentric bands the cosmos.