Lai rot nam style
Originally, lacquer was used to provide a weatherproof finish that would preserve an artifact. It is derived from a tree (Melanorrhea Usitata Anacardiaceae) found in Northern Thailand and Myanmar. But because lacquer from the tree is scarce nowadays, petroleum based mixes are used.
When shopping in Chiangmai, look for lacquerware. Among the best buys, if you can find them, are 17th-19th century small boxes, chests and cabinets covered in gilt lacquerwork known as lai rot nam (literally, "splash water pattern").
Lai rot nam are antiques, although the term is used also to designate a special method of making lacquerware that is peculiar to Thailand.
In the gilding process, the wooden object is coated with several layers of black lacquer that has been tapped from certain trees found in the north. Each coating is thoroughly dried for several weeks before the next one is applied. After several coatings, the design is drawn.
Parts that appear black are painted with water-soluble pigment. The handicraft is then coated with a thin, clear varnish on which the gold leaf is applied. When the varnish dries, water is splashed to dissolve the pigment. Only the gold leaf remains.
The original lacquer was shiny, but years of exposure produce a flat appearance, more charcoal gray in color than silky black.
The gold leaf applied at least a century ago looks pale, since time has worn away any uneven application. Modern reproductions vary from very pale gold to the suspiciously dark.
The National Museum and the National Library have a collection of genuine and antique lai rot nam cabinets.
The pride of the north
Even the smallest Buddha image takes many hour of labor
Fat and smiling, unique even among all its brothers, a small Buddha sits contentedly on the shelf, its brown colored stomach gleaming, almost alive, in the light. This figurine and its companions are products of the ancient art of sculpting resin.
Resin dolls and home decor items are among the most sought after souvenirs available in Chiangmai. Although most are small in size and light in weight, they all stand out for their craftsmanship. Polished to a high gloss, these creations of petrified tree sap take on the appearance of bronze.
Chiangmai Resin's showroom, in the Kalare Shopping Center on Changklan Road, offers a wide selection of items that are all meticulously detailed. However, these represent only a fraction of what's available in the market.
Among the most popular are those with Chinese- and Thai designs. Other choices include religious symbols that are appropriate for worship altars or as plain decorative items, and animals such as dragons, dolphins, elephants, horses, and monkeys. Carved masks are also common. A number are quite unique, like nudes, sensuously designed ashtrays, and phallic sculptures.
Hill Tribe and Resin Dolls, with a showroom in the Northern Industrial Promotion Center and a factory in Mae Rim, is another leading producer of resin figurines. Primarily a wholesaler, the company accepts special orders and takes particular pride in the quality of its products. The Sangher Resin shop, in the Peak area on Changklan Road, is also worth checking out.
The process involved in the manufacture of such special items is painstaking, and requires knowledge on which tree species produce the best resin; what ingredients to mix with the raw material to achieve the proper texture and gloss; and what final shape a particular piece of resin can be molded into. Even the smallest Buddha image takes many hours of labor
In Thailand, the type of textile worn often indicates the person's social status.
Thai textiles can be classified into two types based on the raw material used to create them; viz cotton and silk. Cotton is cultivated all over the country. It takes about six to seven months before the plants are fully grown to produce the seeds from where the soft fiber used for weaving cloth comes from. Cotton garments are suitable for hot weather.
Silk is made from the fine soft thread produced by silkworms. The threads are boiled to get rid of its color and then dyed before being woven. Good silk should be glossy and flexible.
The first silk yarn was introduced to Thailand in 1902 AD during the reign of the fifth king of the Chakri dynasty. Traditionally, Thai silk is made by hand, a method that is still practiced up to today. There are basically two types of silk: plain silk and mudmee, which involves a more complicated process to produce.
In Thai society, the type of textile worn often indicates the person's social status. Most of the common people wear cotton since the process of producing it is not complicated. Those who come from the landed gentry usually wear silk.
Today, Thai textiles are ideal gifts and souvenirs from Chiangmai. There are many shops that sell them. Most have big showrooms.
Recommended shops:
- Textile House
Located at 85 Kamphaengdin Road, it offers Thai and Lao silk, cotton and other fabrics, including hilltribe embroidery and decorative items. Open Monday to Saturday from
10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Call 053-206819 for inquiries.
- Huaan Mai Thai Silk
Located at 4 Charoenprathet Road, it specializes in handmade Thai silk, ready-to-wear garments and decorative items. Wholesale prices available. Open daily from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Call 09-430-1823 for more information.
- Phudtha
Situated at The Peak Project (Night Bazaar), it sells Thai silk, cotton, fancy fabrics made of marijuana pulp, traditional Thai, Isan and Lao fabrics and ready-to-wear garments. Open daily from 6 p.m. to midnight. Call 053-818147 or 09-838-1965 for inquiries.
- Heritage Silk Shop
Located on Changklan Road, it offers some of the finest silk in the country. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Call 01-884-8958 for more information.
Ancient civilizations have always valued silver and made it into jewelry, fashion accessories and ornaments. Its malleability also makes it suitable for use in other crafts. In Thailand, it remains today as one of the most sought after items by both locals and tourists.
Compared to gold, which has traditionally been associated with royalty, silver is less expensive and readily available almost everywhere. It has a certain mystique that reflects refinement and antiquity.
Traditional silver jewelry such as rings, bracelets, necklaces and belts, with its elaborate designs, are enough to enhance any attire.
Through the centuries, silver has maintained its popularity on the fashion scene. Today, it is now used as an art medium.
Silver in is known as "ngern" in Thai, the same word for money. Antique silver jewelry and ornaments were originally made from old Indian and Chinese silver coins, a bygone era when the trade between Thailand and these countries flourished.
The northern province of Chiangmai is the where the best silver jewelry is made by craftsmen who originally came from Burma centuries ago to escape war. The skill has been passed on to generations that even today, the designs remain detailed and intricate. Whether you are looking for jewelry to be worn with traditional or modern clothes, vessels to be used during religious ceremonies or plan decorative items, silver in Thailand will always be a good buy.
Originally, silver accessories were made of 92 percent silver, which made it on par with sterling silver. If you see the figure 92 on any silver piece, that is proof of its quality. Today, however, only 80 percent silver is used. Although the appearance is similar, it is not quite as costly.
Numerous shops in Chiangmai's Night Bazaar sell silver jewelry. On Wua Lai Street in the central district are dozens of shops that sell silver. In some, customers can actually see the crafting of silver jewelry and bowls.
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