The Kong (gong) is a percussive instrument made of an amalgam of metals. Its shape is round with a bulging central knob. The skirt of the gong is folded down called Chat. Two holes are pierced at the rim of the Chat for inserting a rope or leather strip as a loop for holding or hanging on a bar. To play the Kong, a stick is used to strike on the bulging central knob (Pum Kong) to produce a resonant sound. The head of the playing stick is rolled with cloth and tightly wound around or knitted with thread. The playing stick has different sizes according to the use. The metal used to mold the Kong also varies in thickness according to the size of each Kong.
         There two kinds of the Kong that are usually played in various types of drum ensembles in the Northern Region. They are the Kong Ui (ฆ้องอุ้ย), a large Kong and the Kong Yong (ฆ้องโหย้ง) or Kong Mong (ฆ้องโมง), a small Kong. The Kong is always played teasingly with the Chaap. The Kong is played to control the rhythm, while the Chaap is played alternately to imitate and tease the sound of the Kong following the rhythm of the ensemble.
         At present when playing in an ensemble the number of graded large to small Kong has been increased from 2 to 9 Kong. They are beaten simultaneously in order to produce a roaring resonant sound, such as in the Mong Serng drum ensemble and the Glong Gon Yaao ensemble. The Kong used in such ensembles have different sounds. The Kong Ui is tuned to the western low ‘Do’ pitch. The next Kong is tuned to the ‘Sol’ pitch and the next one is tuned to the high ‘Do’ pitch. They are tuned in this way to the smallest Kong. They are tuned to the 5th interval or sometimes tuned to the western cords.