There are many things that attract
large numbers of people from all over the world to Thailand,
making it a leading tourist centre in this part of the
world. Among the main attractions are its great varieties
of valuable products that can be bought at favourable
prices. To give you an idea of what are the really good
buys in this country and where to buy them, here is a
brief description of some of the products.
Related Link : VAT Refund
for Tourists
OTOP
Products
These are high-quality hand-made goods and
folk handicrafts under the One Tambon One Product (OTOP) Project. The products range widely from food to consumer
goods and decorative objects.
Where
to buy: OTOP products are available at most souvenirs
shops, shopping plazas and department stores nationwide.
The Department of Export Promotion (DEP) has established
two medium size outlets in Bangkok and Chiang Mai to display
the products, which have been developed to meet world
market standards and provide business convenience between
local craftsmen and foreign traders.
Bangkok: 6th Fl., Thailand Export
Mart Building, Ratchadaphisek Rd.
Tel. +66 (0) 2511 5279 to 84
Chiang Mai: 29/19 Singharat Rd., Muang County
Tel. +66 (0) 5322 1174, (0) 5322 3164
The fantastic
complete works |
Exotic
beauty of artificial flowers
from rubber les |
| Famous OTOP products
are as follows: |
| • |
Textiles and other related products
such as ready-made clothes, table cloths, scarfs,
etc. |
| • |
Wickerwork |
| • |
Pottery |
| • |
Artificial flowers |
| • |
Wooden furniture |
| • |
Furniture from water hyacinth
and rattan |
| • |
Flowers, stationery and lampshades
made of paper mulberry, banana leaves and pineapple
leaves |
| • |
Ornaments and home decoration
items from silver or brass |
Thai
Handicrafts
 There
are several other kinds of handicrafts that are of artistic
value, such as pearls, dolls, brassware, bronzeware
and artificial flowers, and adorable Thai-style gifts
such as mulberry paper products, candle products, and
aroma incense box sets. All of these you can conveniently
obtain from large department stores, shopping plazas
or in the shopping areas in tourist cities such as Bangkok,
Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya, where you will find
that there are just too many good things to buy and
you may be at a loss how to make a choice.
Ceramics & Pottery
Of the various styles of Thai ceramics, Sangkhalok stoneware
(the bluish green celadon) and Bencharong porcelain (the
five-coloured porcelain) are the most desirable among
both Thai and foreign collectors.
Bencharong |
Most of the pottery and ceramic items being sold today
are reproductions of traditional styles. The products
come in various forms, for example, vases, lamp bases,
dinner sets, tea sets and souvenir articles. There are
a good number of celadon factories in some northern
provinces, especially in Chiang Mai.
According to the export growth of ceramics, many communities
all over Thailand have produced and develooped ceramics
in their own styles.
Where to buy: Big department stores and shopping
plazas, ceramics & pottery shops and centres in
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and other provinces.
Related link : Ceramics From daily utensils to forms of living arts
|
“Phuket’s
most delicate and memorable souvenirs”
Ceramics of Phuket is a perfect combination of arts
and everyday objects. Our products are interesting
in their unique style of living arts and natural
tones. Visit us to see the prime quality of Phuket’s
clay! more
details… |
Silk Fabric
 Introduced
to the world market only after World War II, Thai silk
is perhaps already too well known to need further recommendation.
It is hand reeled and hand woven and so has a natural
uneven look and a soft shimmering texture which give it
its uniqueness. Thai silk is sold by yard and as ready-to-wear
clothing or souvenir items such as neckties, scarves,
handkerchiefs, shawls, handbags and photo frames.
The main production centres of Thai silk fabrics are Chiang
Mai, Bangkok and the Northeast.
Where to buy:
Big department stores and shopping plazas, silk fabric
shops in Bangkok and major tourist provinces, especially
in Chiang Mai.
 Tips
about silk: Local hand-woven silk can be classified
by the way the thread is woven-- one-, two-, or four-thread
pattern. To make it easier, silk can also be categorized
by weight. Light weight silk, or silk that is woven in
one-thread pattern, is suitable for making overblouses,
silk skirts which flare out, or any lightweight outfits.
Medium weight silk, also known as two-thread pattern,
is recommended for making jackets, trousers, skirts, dresses,
and men’s shirts.
And the thickest type of silk is called heavy weight silk,
or four-thread pattern, which is the best choice for making
tuxedos and household decorations. Silk must be washed
by hand without rubbing and wringing. Try using lukewarm
water with low acidity soap. Putting a few drops of baby
oil into the final wash will keep your silk sleek and
shiny. However, to preserve silk in its best quality,
dry cleaning is recommended.
Matmi (tied-dye) Silk
Matmi is a kind of Thai silk produced
in the Northeast of the Kingdom. It is so called because
of its peculiar dyeing process, by which the silk threads
are tied in the desired pattern before dyeing. It was
introduced to the outside markets by Her Majesty Queen
Sirikit, as part of her rural development efforts.
Where to buy: Big department stores and shopping
plazas, silk fabric shops in Bangkok and major tourist
provinces like Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
Besides being famous for its exquisite hand-woven silk,
Thailand has many high standard tailor shops with superb
craftsmanship. Therefore, after selecting your favorite
pieces of Thai silk, you can have your garment tailor-made
while enjoying your vacation here.
Tailor-Made Clothes
Thailand, especially Bangkok, has plenty of tailor shops
where you can have shirts, trousers, suits or any other
articles of clothing delicately designed, cut and sewn
at reasonable prices. Thai tailors are also good at copying
your favourite style of designer clothing. However, one
important thing that you should bear in mind is fabric
selection, especially for those promoted package deals.
Where to buy: Tailor shops in Bangkok
and major tourist provinces.
Antiques
The wide variety of antiques available in Thailand
allows buyers to compare and select freely. At present,
what foreigners particularly like include wood carvings,
silverware, pottery and other handmade objects. Apart
from Thai antiques, most shops also have pieces of neighbouring
countries, i.e. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and China. And
like elsewhere in the world, they stock both authentic
and fake items. When the authenticity is in doubt, ask
the dealer to guarantee the return of the item.
Where to buy: Antique shops in major tourist cities
such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
You are advised to select and buy them from a shop instead
of a street stall whose dealer may not be found when you
come back to the site again..
Cotton
Hand-woven cotton fabrics of the North and Northeast are
internationally well known because of their fine flexible
texture and durability. They are often used for both clothing
and household items like table linen, bedspreads, cushion
covers, rugs and curtains. Among them, the most attractive
are those made by the hilltribes living in the North,
with fine and delicate embroidery. The Northeast is also
famous for cotton weaving. Each province has its own distinctive
weaving style and patterns.
Where to buy:
Big department stores and shopping plazas, cotton &
silk fabrics shops in Bangkok and major tourist provinces,
especially in the North and Northeast.
Garments
Thai garments not only sell briskly on local markets,
but have been the number one export commodity of Thailand
in recent years. That is because of the low labour cost,
cheap raw materials, fashionable designs and fine workmanship.
Where to buy: Bangkok: Big department stores
and shopping plazas and garment markets such as Pratunam,
Bobe. Other tourist provinces: shopping plazas and garment
shops.
Gems & Jewellery
Thailand has become a new leader in the world of gems
and jewellery since the early '80s. This has been possible
because, first, rich mines of high-grade gemstones, notably
rubies and sapphires, have been found in Kanchanaburi
and Chanthaburi provinces; secondly, Thailand has plenty
of skilful craftsmen and expert designers; thirdly, the
cost of labour and the overhead costs are comparatively
low in this country; and fourthly, Thailand imposes no
import or export duty on raw or cut stones. That is why
all kinds of precious stones are sent to Thailand for
cutting.
Where to buy: Gems and jewellery
shops in Bangkok and major tourist provinces.
Gold Ornaments
Most of the large gold
shops are located on Yaowarat Road in Bangkok. Some are
about a century old. They are all thriving. They have
many foreign customers, especially those from other Southeast
Asian countries. Foreign tourists prefer to buy gold ornaments
in Thailand because of the large choice, excellent workmanship
and beautiful designs. Pure gold ornaments are also available
in some jewellery shops.
Where to buy:
Gold shops on Yaowarat Road and other business areas in
Bangkok and in other major provinces.
Lacquerware
Lacquerware is articles made of wood or woven
bamboo and coated with layers of lacquer to make it smooth,
shiny and durable. To add to its beauty, paints, gold
foil, silver foil, eggshells or mother-of-pearl is used
in producing designs or pictures on it. It may be in the
form of a vase, tray, cup, bowl, picture frame or other
utensils and ornamental items. The lacquerware factories
in Thailand are concentrated in Chiang Mai.
Where to buy: Big department stores, shopping plazas
and souvenir shops in Chiang Mai and elsewhere.
Leatherware
 With
plentiful supplies of high-quality raw materials and cheap
manpower, Thailand is an ideal place to shop for leatherware
of good workmanship at reasonable prices. Some of the
products are exported to foreign countries to be re-exported
after foreign brands are stamped on them.
Where to buy: Big department stores and shopping plazas
and leatherware shops.
Nielloware
Nielloware has been made and has enjoyed popularity in
Thailand for centuries. The main production centre is
Nakhon Si Thammarat in the south of Thailand. Thai nielloware
is mostly made of silver and sometimes plated with gold.
Its delicately etched designs are filled with a black
material (called niello) which is a combination of silver,
copper, lead and sulphur. Niello makes the surface more
smooth and lustre. Some niello items are bowls, cigarette
cases, teapots, picture frames, caskets, necklaces and
bracelets.
Where to buy: Big department
stores, shopping plazas and souvenir shops especially
in southern provinces.
Pewterware
Some of the best handmade pewterware of the world come
from Thailand. Thai pewterware is made of 97% pure tin
and 3% antimony and copper,
and is lead free.
Where to buy: Big department stores and shopping
plazas, pewterware shops in major tourist provinces, especially
in the South.
Silverware
The making of silverware is a very ancient art in Thailand.
Its use has enjoyed great popularity among the Thai people
for centuries. Thai silverware, especially ornaments,
is also in great demand on the world market with the United
States, European countries and Australia as its main customers.
This is because Thai craftsmen have maintained the traditional
fine workmanship of their ancestors and the quality of
the products is under the strict control of the government
which prescribes that the content of pure silver in silver
products must not be less than 92.5 percent. The two main
production centres of silverware in Thailand are Bangkok
and Chiang Mai.
Where to buy: Silverware
shops in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other tourist provinces.
Wickerwork
Yan Lipao |
Several kinds of indigenous
plants in Thailand can be used to make designed
furniture and various kinds of wickerwork and souvenir
items.
Some well-known materials are rattan, bamboo, sedge
and bulrush. However, the most famous wickerwork
is the basketry made of a southern fern-vine called
yan lipao. |
The refined yan lipao woven handbags, which have been
popular among high society for many years, are now promoted
as a precious souvenir from Thailand. Besides handbags,
yan lipao is also made into other objects such as hats,
trays, picture frames, cigarette cases and coasters.
Where to buy: Big department stores and shopping plazas
in Bangkok and other tourist provinces, especially in
the South.
Wood Carving
Wood carving is an ancient art of the Thai people handed
down from the Sukhothai period about 7 centuries ago.
Thai wood crafts are famous for their traditional patterns
and intricacy. Today, most of the wood carving workshops
are concentrated in the northern provinces, such as Lampang,
Phrae, Nan and especially Chiang Mai. The products may
be divided into 4 categories; furniture, household utensils,
decorative objects and souvenir articles.
Where
to buy: Big department stores and shopping plazas,
woodcarving shops and centres in Chiang Mai and other
northern provinces. |
