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Thai Handicrafts
Thailand is extraordinarily rich in handicrafts. Most
famous of course is hand-woven Thai silk, which is cheaper in Thailand than
anywhere else in the world. Aside from silk, there is a wide array of pottery as
well as of woodcarvings. Among the most original Thai handicraft products are
painted umbrellas of handmade paper. Available in Thailand are also large
quantities of handicrafts of neighbouring countries, especially Burma. Actually,
as the current Burmese government still prefers to keep the country isolated,
more Burmese handicrafts are traded in Thailand than in Burma herself.
Aside from Burmese handicrafts, Vietnamese products are
also readily available, especially in towns along the borders to Laos and
Cambodia. It is said that Vietnamese handicrafts smuggled into Thailand are
considerably cheaper than the same products in Vietnam.
Thai Silk
It is believed that the Chinese were the first to develop
the technique of producing silk fabric some 4,000 years ago. The secret was
closely guarded for centuries and gave rise to the overland trade route known as
the Silk Road. Exportation of the cocoons or the hiring from abroad of craftsmen
skilled in the art of making silk was banned. But eventually some cocoons with
the information about the technique were smuggled out of China.
In China at the time of Confucius, it seems that silk was,
curiously enough, cheaper and more easily obtainable than cotton-type fabrics.
To the contrary, in most other countries silk was long regarded as being
suitable only for royalty, nobles and celebrities. It stood out among all
fabrics and has retained its unrivalled position as Queen of Textiles up to the
present.
Archaeological evidence found among the relics of Ban
Chiang (a human settlement site in today’s north-east Thailand dating back in
it’s origin some 5,000 to 7,000 years and existing probably for several thousand
years) proves that the people who lived in the North-eastern part of Thailand
were already using silk cloth in prehistoric times. Though it is not clear
whether the silk used then was of the Mutmee type, there are indications that
some of it was; the typical patterns of Mutmee silk are among the most ancient
patterns to appear on cloth, and these patterns have great similarity to the
ancient cloth designs found in Russia and many other countries (more on Mutmee
below).
While the people living in Thailand several thousand years
back were ethnically not Thais, the Thai silk home industry nevertheless dates
back many hundreds of years.
Manufacture of silk was for a long time an important
traditional occupation of Thai girls. Following the steps of their mothers and
their mothers’ mothers, Thai maidens used to rear their own silkworms, produce
fibers and weave fabrics for their families. The masterpiece of their weaving
was naturally their own wedding costume.
The caterpillar (silkworm) spins a yellow cocoon consisting
of up to 1000m (3300ft) of reliable filament. The caterpillar, after stuffing
itself with mulberry leaves, weaves the cocoon around itself as a protection
during its metamorphosis into a moth. The filaments from tens of thousands of
cocoons are reeled together into strands making raw silk for the spinning and
production of the fabric.
As Thai silk is hand-woven from hand-spun pure silk yarn,
the resulting fabric is naturally uneven and knobbly in texture. The weaving is
done with great skill and care taken to retain a matching consistency. Authentic
Thai silk cannot be mass-produced; no weaver can substitute for another’s labour
without damaging the yield.
Thai silk does not undergo mechanised finishing treatment.
In its natural form, it catches light more effectively, giving off a lively glow
of rich colours. It is costly if compared to other textiles because of the care
taken to preserve standards and consistency.
Thai silk can be washed only with the mildest soap, then
rinsed in tepid water as many times as necessary, but never wrung. In the last
rinsing, a spoon of clear white vinegar can be added to retain the original
luster. It should be allowed to drip dry in the shade.
Under no
circumstances should Thai silk be put into a washing machine. Thai silk should
be ironed on the inside just before it is dry or later only with a damp cloth
over it.
It is
recommended to shop for Thai silk only in stores that carry the approval signs
either of the Thai Silk Association or the Tourism Authority of Thailand, as
only in these places is the quality of Thai silk guaranteed.
Mutmee (Tie-Dye Silk)
Part of
the north-eastern people’s rich cultural heritage is the production of a unique
silk fabric locally known as Ikat but internationally referred to as Mutmee.
Mutmee silk is so called because of the particular tie-dye process by which the
silk threads are tied according to the desired pattern before they are dyed.
Actually, Mutmee can be made of both silk and cotton. But Mutmee silk is much
more popular.
To make
Mutmee, only filaments uniform in size and texture are used. In the past natural
dyes derived from roots, vegetable or earth were used. However, today chemical
dyes are given preference for they save a great deal of time and permit more
colour varieties. Traditionally, the prevailing Mutmee colour is an inky blue,
which used to be extracted from the indigo plant.
Typical
Mutmee designs are nature motives: animals such as birds or serpents, especially
pythons, or trees or flowers.
Until not
long ago, Mutmee was produced for domestic use, mostly in religious ceremonies
or on auspicious days such as wedding days. Only at the beginning of the 80’s,
Mutmee was promoted beyond the villages of the Northeast chiefly by Queen
Sirikit. The manufacture of Mutmee silk has since then become part of the
economic development of this poorest region of the country. Trade organisations
under the patronage of the Queen help in the distribution.
Today
Mutmee is popular among Thai men as well as women. To encourage people to use
this unique local product, the Royal Family regularly wears clothes made from
Mutmee silk. Recently, King Bhumiphol suggested that national Mutmee attire
should be worn in place of western style suits, which are uncomfortable in the
tropical climate. Mutmee shirts are now accepted as formal wear and are commonly
seen at social gatherings.
Hill Tribe Textiles
Hill tribe textiles
are usually made of cotton and can be easily distinguished by their bright
colours, usually on a black background.
Often, hill tribe textiles are richly
embroidered and often decorated by metal ornaments, especially by old silver
coins. In Bangkok, hill
tribe textiles are available at the Hill Tribe Foundation (Tel 251-9816) on the
grounds of Srapatum Palace on 195 Phaya Thai Road. The foundation which is under
the patronage of the Princess Mother, is open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00, Sat
10:00-13:00. Aside from hill tribe textiles, hill tribe jewellery is also
available.
Pottery & Ceramics
Thailand
offers an exceptionally wide selection of pottery and ceramics. Thai plant pots,
especially of large sizes, are exported to many countries; even pots in ancient
Roman or Greek design sold in southern Europe are actually made in Thailand.
However,
pottery is a Thai craft not primarily export oriented. In many villages of the
Northeast, water is still today stored near homes in giant earthenware jars.
Furthermore, the manufacture of pottery is only partially industrialised. In
many cases, it’s rather a supplementary home industry of rice farmers. There are
only few really large pottery manufacturers. Small factories where villagers
work between the rice planting and harvesting seasons when there is little work
in the fields produce much bigger quantities.
Ordinary
tourist shops often carry some porcelain but seldom terra-cotta items, probably
because they are too bulky to store and too heavy and too breakable to be taken
along as tourist luggage. A good selection of terra-cotta pots can be seen at
the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Those who contemplate buying terra-cotta pots
containerwise may find it worthwhile to contact Global Merchants, No 108/5 Soi
38 (Santisuk), Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Tel (66) 2 / 392-7301, Fax (66) 2 /
391-6976.
Global
Merchants is specialising in terra-cotta pots and a major exporter. Terra-cotta
pots can be ordered with customers’ own designs but production will take its
time, as the order will be given to home industry factories up-country - and as
indicated above, the priority of those making the pots are their rice fields.
However, this system ensures prices, which are hard to beat anywhere in the
world.
Blue and White Pottery
This
generally low-priced variety of ceramics is widely sold in Thailand. Among the
items available are pots and vases of all sizes, table sets and decorative
pieces of every size including elephant images which double as stools. Lots of
blue and white pottery is available at the Chatuchak Weekend Market and nearby
on Kamphaeng Phet Road.
Bencharong
Bencharong is a kind of porcelain, distinguished by enamel decorations in many
colours. The particular technics of porcelain manufacture came to Thailand from
China. A Bencharong collection can be seen at Jim Thompson’s House, Soi
Kasemsan, Rama I Road.
Celadon
Celadon
is a kind of porcelain, which is baked at especially high temperatures. Like in
the case of Bencharong porcelain, the techniques for making Celadon originates
from China and was brought to Thailand in the 12th and 13th century when Thais
in large numbers migrated from South China to Southeast Asia. Though originally
Chinese, the manufacture of Celadon has since developed into unique Thai forms.
The colours and patterns of celadon porcelain are not just painted on the items
afterwards but sort of burned in when the ceramic item is baked. Most often the
minerals used for the glaze produce various intensities of green. A number of
shops in Bangkok specialise in Celadon. Among them is Celadon House, Soi 21
(Asoke), Sukhumvit Road, Tel 258-3920, Mon-Sat, 9:00-17:00.
Lacquerware
The
manufacture of lacquerware is a complicated process which, like so many arts
techniques, has been introduced to Thailand from China. Today, most of the Thai
lacquerware is made around Chiang Mai.
The
manufacture of lacquerware starts with raw wooden forms. In Thailand, small
elephant images are very popular, aside from show plates and little boxes. The
wooden piece is polished and then painted with black lacquer again and again.
While a
design can just be painted on top of the lacquer item, the much more intricate
techniques are to create in-laid designs. For these, extremely thin gold leaves
are most commonly used. Other in-laid materials are egg shell and
mother-of-pearl.
There are
a large number of lacquerware factories in Chiang Mai on the Road to San
Kamphaeng, just a few kilometers out of the city. Visits to these factories are
common itineraries of sightseeing tours in Chiang Mai. The visitor should be
aware (and beware) that the factories visited mostly have been specially
designed as tour destinations. They all have parking lots big enough to
accommodate several tour buses at one time, and at many of these so-called
factories, the sales staff seems to be more numerous than the "factory" workers,
and usually, the showrooms are much bigger than the manufacturing halls.
It can be
doubted that a number of these "factories" actually engage in large scale
manufacturing of lacquerware items themselves. Many seem to have just an alibi
factory attached to the showroom in order to pass off themselves as factories
and to attract visitors who can be shown the way lacquerware is made and who
often believe that because a particular establishment dubs itself "factory",
prices must be low. This is seldom the case.
The
emphasis of most of these factories certainly is on retail sale, not on
manufacturing, and prices are retail prices, too. Furthermore, marked prices at
these "factories" are usually quite high, even for retail standards.
Participants of arranged sightseeing tours can typically bargain for 10 %
discounts. Those who buy independently may be able to get discounts of around 50
%.
Going to
some of the factories independently means: going there by public transport or
with a private vehicle. The suspicion is justified that when arriving in a taxi
cab, the driver will demand from the "factory" his commission on all sales; if
he shouldn’t get a commission, he would probably tell his passenger: "Let’s
visit another factory. Cheaper prices there." And off the client goes. What the
taxi driver probably really meant was: not enough commission here for me.
It is
unclear to what extent the lacquerware offered in the so-called factories of
Chiang Mai is actually factory-made. Most of the handicraft products in north
and northeast Thailand are not produced factory-style but rather in home
industry. A trader supplies materials, and often a whole family participates in
the production of certain items. Many
Thai
families in the provinces prefer the system over going out on a regular
employment, and the trader saves the cost for a true factory site.
Furthermore it seems to be the case that quite a lot of Burmese lacquerware is
sold along with Thai products and passed off as made in Thailand. Smuggled from
Burma into Thailand are considerable quantities especially of gold inlaid
lacquer pieces depicting not just any easy-to-do ornament but intricate designs
of human or mythological figures. These figures are scratched into inlaid gold
leave layers with needle-like tools.
Prices
for these Burmese, or at least Burmese style, lacquer pieces, most typically
show plates, small show boards, jewellery boxes or vases are often not higher
than for rather cheaply produced other lacquer items just featuring painted
ornaments. The lowest prices for this exquisite kind of lacquerware this author
has found at Mae Sai right at the border to Burma. Many shops selling Burmese
lacquerware as well as other Burmese handicrafts are right at the bridge that
crosses the Sai River into Burma. The lowest prices this author were repeatedly
offered at Village Produce on Phahonyothin Road, considerably closer to the bus
stop of the buses to and from Chiang Mai than to the border bridge.
In
Bangkok lacquerware from Chiang Mai and Burma is available from many street
hawkers in the tourist districts, at handicraft stores and at Chatuchak Weekend
Market.
Only
seldom available in Bangkok is Vietnamese lacquerware. It is easily
distinguished, first because it normally uses red-brown instead of black
lacquer, second because most pieces are inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and third
because pieces of Vietnamese origin are usually much larger than those of Thai
or Burmese origin. Vietnamese lacquerware is smuggled through Laos and Cambodia
into Thailand by numerous small time traders who cross the borders with just a
few pieces and then sell the items in Thai border towns such as Mukdahan and
Aranyapathet.
Vietnamese lacquerware actually is among the best buys Thailand can offer. If
compared to Thai and Burmese lacquerware, the pieces generally appear more
artistic. And still, when taken the price per square inch, they tend to be
cheaper than either Burmese or Thai lacquerware. Very large Vietnamese
mother-of-pearl lacquerware is not uncommon. Aside from show boards, there are
available room dividers, boxes and whole living room furniture sets.
A major
component in bronze is tin for which Thailand is one of the world’s major
producers. Tin is mined in Thailand for centuries on Phuket Island and
neighbouring provinces. Nickel-bronze, which makes a greenish appearance, has
been used in Thailand since ancient times to make Buddha images.
Tin and
nickel are among the more expensive non-precious metals. According to Asiaweek
of August 16, 1991, the price for a ton of tin at that time stood at 5,670 US
Dollars, and for a ton of nickel at 8,240 US Dollars. In comparison, the price
for a ton of copper was given as 2,274 US Dollars, the price of a ton of zinc as
1,053 US Dollars and the price of a ton of aluminium as 1,160 US Dollars.
The tin
content in bronze is just about 10 percent, with the rest mainly copper. Based
on the above commodity prices, a ton of bronze has a metal value of around 3,000
US Dollars. From this figure can be derived what possibly could be the lowest
prices available for bronze items of lesser weight.
There are
a large number of bronze and brassware shops in Bangkok, especially along New
Road between Sathorn Nua Road and Surawong Road. There are also a number of
bronze and brassware shops on Silom Road and Surawong Road.
The best
selection in brass and bronze, however, is found at Chatuchak Weekend Market
(see above). Furthermore, prices there are considerably lower than on New Road
or Silom Road.
Among the
designs available are two kinds, those Western inspired and those in the
tradition of Thai art. It must be noted again at this place that Buddha images
are not allowed to be exported from Thailand, except with special permit of the
Thai Fine Arts Department (for regulations, see the part on customs in the
chapter Visa Formalities). Obviously, the Thai government wants to avoid that
Thai objects of worship end up as curios or even worth (see the chapter Religion
for information on Buddha images).
The
visitor will notice that many shops offer the same objects with almost no
variations - may it be that they receive them from the same source or that
certain styles are just copied by a number of factories. Pieces like lamp stands
or old streetlights are sometimes offered as both brass and bronze.
The
shopper should be aware that the weight of a piece doesn’t necessarily indicate
how much brass or bronze has been used to manufacture it. Hollow statues and
pieces like streetlights are often filled with concrete to make them heavier and
thereby more impressive. Even small pieces are regularly filled with cement.
(Not that bronze statues in the West would be cast solid. But to leave them
hollow when they were cast hollow sort of speaks of more respect for the arts
than filling a piece up with concrete.)
Aside
from brass and bronzeware, pewterware is also available in Thailand. Pewter,
consisting of fairly pure tin, is suitable mainly for small decorative items or
intricately decorated cups.
Nielloware
Though
they originate from Europe, the niello technics to make decorative items have
been known in Thailand for many hundred years. Niello is an alloy of silver,
lead, copper and sulfur. The alloy is used for relief ornaments. The material
gets its particular appearance of silver and black by polishing the high parts
of the relief ornaments, turning them silver, while lower parts of the ornament
remain black. The silver / black contrast gives the ornament more
three-dimensional appearance than a uniform alloy would do. The center for
nielloware in Thailand is Nakhon Si Thammarat in the South.
Umbrellas
Probably
the most original, one of the most beautiful and one of the best value Thai
handicrafts are painted umbrellas. And while they are available in Bangkok and
tourist souvenir stores all over the country, practically all of them come from
one place: the village of Bo Sarn between Chiang Mai city and the small town of
San Kamphaeng, just a few kilometers west of Chiang Mai.
Bo Sarn
has specialised in umbrellas not only since tourists have happened to like them.
Umbrellas have been manufactured here for decades if not centuries. The original
purpose of the umbrellas was to give them as offerings to monks and temples.
Still today Wats are occasionally adorned with large Bo Sarn umbrellas, and
sometimes they provide shade for Buddha images.
Typically, the umbrellas are made of so-called Sa paper, which is manufactured,
in old technics from the bark of the mulberry tree. Even unpainted, this paper
looks delicate, as it resembles parchment or a very thin hide. In most cases the
umbrellas are painted with flower or bird motives.
They come
in all sizes, ranging from the very small one, which can adorn potted plants, to
the very large, and good, enough to provide shade for a whole group at a picnic.
In
general, the umbrellas are made in home industry by the villagers of Bo Sarn
and, meanwhile, surrounding villages up to San Kamphaeng and beyond.
Nevertheless, at Bo Sarn a number of places present themselves in factory style,
similar to the "factories" for lacquerware. In contrast to what is the case for
lacquerware, these are the best places to buy retail quantities of umbrellas.
Umbrellas of the size of utility umbrellas cost about 50 Baht (2 US Dollars)
while the smallest are available for about 35 Baht (small umbrellas aren’t much
less work than those regular size). All the major sales places offer shipping of
large umbrellas.
A rather
tourists offshoot of the umbrellas are hand painted fans. Large numbers are
manufactured in San Kamphaeng. Actually, at San Kamphaeng, every second shop
seems to sell hand painted fans. While they are not as original as the umbrellas
they are easier attached to walls than the umbrellas which tend to consume quite
some space in the rooms they adorn. While the workmanship is less intricate in
the fans than in the umbrellas, they cost about double for comparative sizes.
The reason is the more expensive raw materials - cloths instead of paper and
straight bamboo sticks instead of thin ordinary timber sticks.
Khon Masks
Khon
Masks are made from a paper mache, produced of Sa paper (which is also used to
make umbrellas). They are available in miniature or original size - original
size is what can be worn not just in front of one’s face but over one’s head as
most Khon masks are rather helmets reaching down to the neck. Traditionally
these Khon masks were used in classical Thai theatre, and each mask depicts a
specific epic, legendary or mystical character. (For information on Khon
theatre, see the chapter Art & Culture)
Shadow Play Figures
Much the
same as on Indonesian Java though not as famous are Thai shadow play figures.
They are cut out of bull hide and will appear to an audience watching them
behind a screen at various sizes, depending on how close to the source of light
they are moved. Traditionally, these shadow play figures (Nang Rai in Thai) are
just black, as this obviously is sufficient for a shadow play. Nevertheless,
probably as a concession to the foreign buyer who acquires them not for the
purpose of shadow plays but to adorn his home in full light, they are now
produced more and more in colour.
Much like
the Khon masks the Nang Rai figures traditionally depict legendary or
mythological characters. But meanwhile, a large number of other motives are also
available - of motives, which have nothing to do anymore with shadow plays.
Shadow
play figures almost always come from southern Thailand. In Bangkok they are
commonly offered by sidewalk vendors in areas frequented by tourists, such as
along Sukhumvit Road and around the Oriental and Royal Orchid Sheraton hotels.
They are considerably cheaper at the Chatuchak Weekend Market where, aside from
that, the selection is also much larger than along the sidewalks.
Kalagas
Kalagas
are traditional Burmese wall hangings, which depict scenes from legends as well
as events of religious importance. While they resemble carpets they are
certainly not suitable as floor covers, and not even to sit on. Often parts are
elevated as in reliefs and beads, pieces of coloured stones (real or artificial)
as well as mirror pieces are worked into the design.
In
Bangkok, Kalagas are available at handicraft stores and, at lower prices, at the
Chatuchak Weekend Market. Cheapest, however, they are at Thai-Burmese border
towns such as Mae Sai, Mae Sariang and Mae Sot. The author’s impression is that
Kalagas appeal more to the Thais than foreign visitors do.
Basketwork
For
Basketwork, a wide range of materials is used, among them fibers of coconut
palms, rattan, bamboo and others. Rattan goods are cheap if compared to the West
but not as cheap as for example in Indonesia. Several furniture shops selling
rattan products can be found between Soi 33 and Soi 47, Sukhumvit Road.
Rattan is
a material remarkable for its strength. It is, for example, impossible to break
even a thin rattan stick over one’s knee. Nevertheless, after being soaked in
water for several days, it can be bend, and when kept in a certain shape during
the drying time, it maintains the form it was given when wet.
As far as Bamboo is concerned, its similarity to Rattan
doesn’t go far beyond a similarity in appearance and the fact that both, Rattan
and Bamboo, are used in Basketwork. Bamboo is an extremely light as well as
non-durable material. This will no longer surprise when one learns that in spite
of the impressive heights, bamboo can grow to, botany actually classifies it as
a grass. It just has a stem hard enough to keep it erect. When one looks at some
bamboo in nature and disregards the sheer height, one can see that it looks much
like an enlarged wheat or barley stalk, though without any seeds.
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