Do you buy Thai arts and craft?

[LaosLover]

Do you have a Hilltribe bedspread or a painting you bought at the night market?

 

Have you ever visited a weaving village? Do you ever go to Thai flea markets that are for Thai people, not tourists?

 

Does your Thai partner like different decor things than you? What are your spouse's favorite colors?

 

If money were no object and you were given a Thai crafts unlimited gift certificate, what bit of Thai craft or tourist tat would you get?

 

I collect indigo blankets from the Sam Neua region of Laos (the geometric diamond design is thought to repel mosquitio's and invoke spirits).

 

And I have few Nang Kwak statues, prob circa '70's. I recently bought a 1.5 meter-long teak model of the royal barge for $120 on eBay. It's on my mantle.

[KhunLA]

Hell NO

 

Wife paints, not just the house, but on canvas, and is crafty with most other things one would buy.  And if I bought something from a vendor ....

 

... what's one of those deadly sins, 'wrath' ... I'm staying clear of that one ????

[LaosLover]

In Laos, they wanted to get rid of the old currency because it had The King's face on it.

 

So they sold it in the night market to tourists at a 100 times mark up.

[Lacessit]

I don't buy any of that art, I've learned cluttering up my life with decorative items that will be thrown out later by me or someone else is wasteful.

I'm a minimalist, if it does not have a daily function it is of no use to me.

[sanuk711]

1 hour ago, LaosLover said:

I collect indigo blankets from the Sam Neua region of Laos

I like the Laos art as well-- first saw it in Chatuchak markets in the 90s , where they are quite a good price--then when you wander across the border away from Vientiane, amazing prices, brought  hand painted pictures from 150--600 baht. Some of their art is done on large pieces of wood--as they can't afford (or get ) canvas. Makes it hard to put in a suitcase. 

Now its being snapped up & put on the internet...(like ones below) . which I suppose is good for the artist's. It's been a few years--dont know what the prices are now--we live close to the border -my wife use to wander over pre Pandemic--(Thai's 20 baht-others 30-40 $us),  to get me wines etc . I should go over again, their High speed train takes you out of Vientiane now--no 20 year old Rickety Buses any longer.

 

.

 

[zzaa09]

I wear a pa kao ma and fisherman's pant's at home and around the property.

Does that qualify as fashionably acclimated?

[Kwasaki]

My wife deals in local made woodcraft nothing special only cheap market wood products.

There is some expensive stuff but because its on religious side of things.

some pix.

[1FinickyOne]

My first biz was as an antique dealer long ago... had shops in West Village NY... I didd try exporting some of the Thai woodwork crafts but US customs chainsawed 40% of my first shipment... 

 

My wife prefers modern. I did get a great buy on a 100 year old Chinese shaman robe that is gorgeous and hangs in our home... Even my wife respects the age and condition.. 

 

I have never heard of a Thai flea market if you are talking about garage sale type items... most anything of value is passed along to family members. I have been to villages that sell craft type items but they are a bit touristy.. I have also been in hilltribe villages that are just villages, not in touristy areas... 

[LaosLover]

Went to a flea market in the outskirts of Chiang Mai 4 years ago. It was in the direction of Nimman, I think.

 

Most of it was fake.There can't have been THAT many shaman shirts still floating around. As near as I could tell, most of the vendors selling fakes thought they were real.

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, LaosLover said:

Went to a flea market in the outskirts of Chiang Mai 4 years ago. It was in the direction of Nimman, I think.

 

Most of it was fake.There can't have been THAT many shaman shirts still floating around. As near as I could tell, most of the vendors selling fakes thought they were real.

This is not a shirt, it is a robe and the fabric is undeniably old - - maybe I should get a photo for you... 

[sipi]

I know a chap that took a container of Thai arts and crafts back to Australia. Cost him about $30000. He was apparently going to make a fortune.

Ultimately, he couldn't give the stuff away.

[LaosLover]

2 hours ago, 1FinickyOne said:

This is not a shirt, it is a robe and the fabric is undeniably old - - maybe I should get a photo for you... 

Nah, your's sounds for real. There's a proper antique store in Chiang Mai where stuff like that washes up. Poss. Hmong?

[bluebluewater]

For many years as I went about my travels, not only in SE Asia but throughout the world, I would always seek out some small street art that I could fit in my backpack and bring it back with me.  First to Thailand and then it all came home with me now in the States.  I've got it all framed and hung and I must say it gives me great joy to look at all those pieces of art and relive the memories.

 

TBS there were MANY things I would have liked to have had but it just was not possible.  No matter I guess as sometimes less is more.  I'm happy with what I have.

[Kwasaki]

Some more wood craft that I found to be so well made in detail also the street market set up.

 

 

[toofarnorth]

I have 3 large paintings that were bought in Hua-Hin several years ago. One we picked out of a book and watched the artist paint it. so clever.  Is that little soi there still ?

25th March '06 it says on the bottom of a pencil sketch of my wife and I. Such talent.

[1FinickyOne]

6 hours ago, LaosLover said:

Nah, your's sounds for real. There's a proper antique store in Chiang Mai where stuff like that washes up. Poss. Hmong?

Not Hmong - there was a store on Loi Kroh that had a couple of these - bought mine private... the back side is even cooler, has warriors and such...

 

 

 

[LaosLover]

Un-buh-leavable. Easilly $2K on eBay or Etsy. Thanks for showing it.

 

That's a batik masterpiece. I have a similar butterfly and patterned bed spread, deep indigo and white, but obv for the tourist trade.

 

I think it's Miao. This style is likely from the China/Vietnam border. Googling Miao batik brings up lots of butterflies and fish. Do you have any idea how old it is? Is the lining original to the garment?

[LaosLover]

8 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Some more wood craft that I found to be so well made in detail also the street market set up.

 

 

Love that Burmese spirit, pointing towards the truth of the dharma.

 

Is the carving trade hereditary? Do the people who own that crafts business make decent money?

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, LaosLover said:

Love that Burmese spirit, pointing towards the truth of the dharma.

 

Is the carving trade hereditary? Do the people who own that crafts business make decent money?

No survive really and my wife buys from people who make the stuff but as for making decent money it's not what my wife looks for it's the market sort of get together thng.

As I witness it my wife makes a bit of money but without me only enough to maybe survive.

[CharlieH]

11 hours ago, sipi said:

I know a chap that took a container of Thai arts and crafts back to Australia. Cost him about $30000. He was apparently going to make a fortune.

Ultimately, he couldn't give the stuff away.

Heard a similar story, but the guy didnt get the stuff with the right paperwork for treatment to the wood and Customs BURNT the lot ! So the story went.

 

Only truly authentic Thai thing I have......the WIFE !

[Kwasaki]

11 hours ago, sipi said:

I know a chap that took a container of Thai arts and crafts back to Australia. Cost him about $30000. He was apparently going to make a fortune.

Ultimately, he couldn't give the stuff away.

???? ???? when my Thai wife and I went to England her sister sent a container full of wood crafts to us, what a headache that turned out to be. 

Anyway going town marketing stall days and boot sales ended up having a lot of fun but only luckily to brake even, which I thought was a good result but never again. 

[bluebluewater]

I've got one of these in my home back here in the States.  About the only item in wood that I brought back.

You damn right there is a bottle of wine sitting in it!

 

[simon43]

I have never bought anything during my time in Laos and Myanmar, mainly because I (perhaps wrongly) assumed that it was all Chinese fake junk....

[GammaGlobulin]

You know, without my reading glasses, at first, I had thought that you were asking if I buy Thai tarts. Please pardon me. 

 

In 1971, I bought a star sapphire here for USD20.00, only for fun. 

 

Unfortunately, I failed to buy USD20,000.00 of Berkshire Hathaway, for real. 

 

I do not have a wife, or wives, presently. But, if I did, I would buy them things which are locally produced using 100% locally supplied materials and components. 

 

I would buy them their fill of jasmine rice and mangoes. 

 

Jasmine rice is best, by far. 

 

Almost everything I see for sale, in handicrafts markets, seems to be made in China, except the tarts. 

 

Honestly speaking, what worries me most is the lack of classical Thai music being produced, these days, using traditional Thai instruments. 

 

So, for my wives, I would buy them jasmine rice and mangoes, or sticky rice with mango. 

 

But, really, what more could you ask for?