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Gorgeous Oriental Fabrics Thai Silk Handwoven Thai silk is a fabric of worldwide renown, and ranks as perhaps the most popular of all Thailand's shopping treasures. Produced in countless colours and eye-catching 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 futher used for place mats and napkins, neckties, scarves and other accessories, as well as exquisite coverings for a whole range of souvenirs from jewellery boxes to notebooks. Mat Mee Silk A unique style of Thai silk, known as Mat Mee, is a handicraft traditional to the northeast region of the country. Produced from tie-dyed silk threads, the fabric is handwoven in a variety of beautiful designs, typically distinguished by intricate patterns and subtle colours. Once a neglected craft, Mat Mee silk has been revitalized in recent years through rural development projects intiated by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. Today, Mat Mee enjoys an unprecedented vogue as a fashion material favoured by Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family as well as by the Thai social elite. Cotton and 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 speciality cottons are hilltribe handicrafts and batik designs. Woven in traditional patterns by the tribal people of the North and typically displaying bold designs and often lavish embroidery, hilltribe cottons make an especially attractive buy. Different in style but equally distinctive are original batiks crafted at several studios in Bangkok. Nielloware Centuries-old crafts offer today's shopper a dazzing choice of exquisite decorative and home objects produced in a rich variety of media. Practised in southern Thailand for hundreds of years, nielloware is the craft of decorating gold and silver objects with delicate etched designs filled with a metal alloy. Workmanship of high quality today finds expression in a number of beautiful nielloware trays, boxes, vases and other items widely available in Bangkok and, of course in the South, notable in the province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. Brass and Bronzeware Shoppers have long recognized the excellent value of made-in-Thailand brass and bronzeware. Techniques combine traditional methods with modern innoavtions, 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. Functional and aesthetically pleasing, Thai brass and bronzeware are ideal for home decoration. Lacquerware Very oriental and very attractive are lacquerware bowls, boxes, trays and numerous other items for interior decoration or for souvenirs. Special to Chiang Mai and the North, the craft involves coating split bamboo or wood with lacquer, than adding intricate handpainted 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 skilfully worked relief patterns are popular buys, while vases and other ornaments in both old and modern designs are available particularly in Chiang Mai but also in Bangkok and elsewhere. Pewterware Like silver, pewter is fashioned with great skill by Thai craftsmen, and the smooth, silky finish of this attractive alloy is often enhanced by delicate relief decoration. Among pewterware items are plates, boxes, vases and pocket flasks. Ceramics Pottery of consistently high artistic accomplishment has been produced throughout the more than 700 years of Thai history. Various styles, both indigenous and Chinese-influenced have predominated at various periods to leave a rich legacy. So today's shopper is presented with a full choice of both faithful reproductions of traditional styles and modern wares. Among the former are the distinctive sea-green celadons, Chinese blue-and-while and the colourful enamelled Benjarong wares which are unique to Thailand. Modern ceramics are produced in an exciting range of contemporary designs which exemplify the continued vitality of the craft. Whether old or new in style, Thai ceramics are available in many forms - - from dinner services and bowls to vases and lamp bases, from small figurines to huge glazed water jars perfect for garden decoration. Gold Good and inexpensive craftsmanship, combined with standard gold prices, make Thai gold articles excellent value. Hand-crafted 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. Gems and Jewellery Thailand is one of the world's major sources of rubies and sapphires, and this has prompted the rise of a huge gemcutting and jewellery-making industry. Today , in addition to indigenous stones are imported for cutting and polishing to make Bangkok an unrivalled centre for coloured gems. Skill in cutting is matched by creative flair in jewellery design and setting. Thus the shopper is presented with excellent opportunities for buying individual polished gems and finished jewellery items, including custom-made pieces. In addition to jewellery, gemstone pictures and other decorative items are to be found. There are many specialist jewellery shops with large selections of goods displaying the highest quality of materials and craftsmanship. Bargains do not exist in any quality gem and jewellery business, but Thailand's ready supply of raw gemstones and extensive jewellery making industry promise extremely competitive prices. A symbol of Bangkok's status as a world-ranking gem capital will be the 55-storey Jewellery Trade Centre, scheduled to be completed by the mid 1990s. This prestigious high-rise tower is designed to facilitate gem and jewellery buying for both the trade and the consumer. Facilities will include an international gems and diamond bourse, a computerized trading board and five floors of retail shops. Flobal Beauty Thai Orchids Thailand is blessed with a huge variety of orchids. Through meticulous cross breeding, plants previously found only in their natural forest habitat have been domesticated and now more than a thousand species are available from specialist orchid farms. For visitors interested in this extensive and intriguing cultivation, study tours of orchid farms are organized by leading local travel agents. Magnificent colours and durable beauty make orchids a very popular purchase. Specially packaged flowers, complete with water supply, are easily transported and long retain their freshness and beauty. Orchids may be bought at many shops in Bangkok and, most conveniently at Bangkok International Airport. Artificial Plants and Flowers With nimble fingers and a sure eye for beauty, Thais are adept at producing superb artificial plants and flowers. In what is a rapidly growing export industry, a wonderful variety of faithful replicas are available. All are entirely hand-made and relatively inexpensive, and make splendid items for home decoration. Thai Dolls and Toys The art of doll-making in Thailand dates back hundreds of years and remains very much alive today. Doll collectors will delight in a broad assortment of detailed and beautifully crafted figures of classical dances in full costume, hilltribe people in thier traditonal colourful dress and rural folk. For children there is a variety of soft cuddly dolls manufactured according to the strictest international safety requirements. Paintings The Thai art scene is vibrant and there are numerous shops offering original works by local artists. Subjects range from renderings of classical temple mural and manuscript paintings to landscapes, typical Thai scenes and contemporary works of high aesthetic value. Art lovers should also remember that local framing is inexpensive and of high quality. Ready-To-Wear Garments Thailand is one of the world's leading manufacturers of resdy-to-wear clothing , producing garments not only for local shops and department stores but also for ever-expanding export markets. The staple of this booming business was formerly T-shirts and jeans, but while these still offer excellent value, product lines now include a whole range of fashions which meet international standards of workmanship and design originality. Fashion boutiques are found in every shopping mall, while cheaper clothing is available from ubiquitous street stalls. Custom Tailoring Tailor-made clothing in Thailand is as affordable and as easy as buying off the peg. There are literally thousands of establishments, small and lerge, which can produce the perfect fit in virtually whatever style you want in just a few days. Tailors may suggest patterns or copy any you care to provide, and you can choose from a wide selection of materials, both locally-made and imported. Leather Goods Complementing Thailand's clothing industry is an extensive production of quality leather goods. Renowned for their durability and beautiful designs are shoes, either ready made or made-to-order, leather jackets, belts, handbags, briefcase, luggage, wallets and a host of other accessories. Specialist leather shops abound and, together with street stalls, offer a staggering variety of products at very attractive prices.

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