Clothing & Accessories
Clothing presents many excellent buys, both men and women's
fashions off-the-peg and tailor made. A whole range of accessories
are also to be found, especially leather goods which offer
particularly good value for money.
Thai Silk
Produced in countless colours and eye-caching designs, Thai
silk has traditionally been used for clothing, and is sold
both by the length and as ready-to-wear fashions.
With enhanced production in recent years, Thai silk is
also now produced in heavier weights ideal for draperies,
upholstery and other household furnishing. Additionally,
the rich fabric is further used for place mats and napkins,
neckties, scarves and other accessories, as well as exquisite
coverings for a whole range of souvenirs from jewelry boxes
to notebooks.
Cotton & Batik
Thai cotton has gained an enormous reputation over recent
years and is today as famous and as popular as silk. A fabric
of fine texture and durable quality, Thai cotton is produced
in a broad range of colours, prints and embroidered designs,
and is found in a wide variety of goods from clothing to
bedspreads, table linen, cushion covers, rugs, bags and
more.
Notable among cottons products are hill tribe handicrafts
and batik designs. Woven in traditional patterns by the
tribal people of the North and typically displaying bold
designs and often lavish embroidery, hill tribe cottons
make and especially attractive buy. Difference in style
but equally distinctive are original batiks crafted at several
studios in Bangkok.
Gem and Jewelly
Bangkok is today the coloured gemstone capital of the world.
The country is a major source of rubies and sapphires, while
Bangkok has also become an established cutting and setting
centre for all kinds of precious stones.
Gold
Good and inexpensive craftsmanship, combined with standard
gold prices, make Thai gold articles excellent value. Handcrafted
chains, bracelets, earrings, pendants and other articles
are all widely available at the many specialist gold shops
in Bangkok, as well as at jewellery stores.
Traditional Handricrafts
Thailand is renowned for its traditional handicrafts. Produced
in variety of designs, these make not only ideal souvenirs
gifts, but are also perfect for design and home decoration.
Royal Crafts
No finer examples of craftsmanship can be found then those
produced under royal patronage. In 1976,Her Majesty Queen
Sirikit sought a way both to give rural Thais alternative
sources of income and to revive some of the Kingdom's traditional
crafts. The result was the establishment of the Foundation
for Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques,
popularly known as SUPPORT. The project has flourished and
today craftsmen working under SUPPORT guidance produce a
wonderfully rich collection of many kinds of traditional
handicrafts.
Among items available are exquisite hand-woven silks, including
the famous tie-dyed mat mee silks of the Northeast;elegant
yan liphao woven handbags, Thai cottons and many other reasonably
priced souvenirs. These SUPPORT handicrafts can be purchased
from the Foundation's chain of exclusive outlets, known
as Chitrlada Shops, and all proceeds go to the on-going
development of the project.
Brass & Broneware
Shoppers have long recognized the excellent value of made-in-Thailand
brass and bronze-ware. Techniques combine traditional methods
with modern innovations, such as silicon coating to prevent
tarnishing, while designs similarly reflect both the old
and the new. Especially popular are fine cutlery sets, bowls
and other tableware, as well as brass sculptures of figures
and animals in classical and contemporary styles.
Lacquerware
Very Oriental and very attractive are lacquer ware bowls,
boxes, tray and numerous other items for interior decoration
or for souvenirs. Native to Chiang Mai and the North, the
craft involves coating split bamboo or wood with lacquer,
then adding intricate hand-painted designs. Typically, objects
are produced in either gold-on-black lacquer or yellow and
green on a red-brown background
Silverware
Silver-beating is another craft traditional to Chiang Mai.
Bowls and boxes with skillfully worked patterns are popular
buys, while vases and other ornaments in both old and modern
designs are available particularly in Chiang Mai and Nakhon
Phanom but also in Bangkok and else where.
