When Thais (who come from or are visitors to Chiang Mai) take gifts to Thai friends and relatives in other provinces (natives of Chiang Mai or of other provinces), what do they like to take ? What do the friends and relatives like to receive?

In other words, what is seen as representing CM to others and missed by people from CM living away from "home"?

Local fruits, in season, would be one popular item, of course

Chiang Mai sausage ("sai krok")

What about the packs of crunchy bacon rind sold in many markets here ?

What else ?

Please add ...

What about the packs of crunchy bacon rind sold in many markets here ?

That one I can comment on. Whenever my wife goes to Chon Buri to visit family she takes a large number of bags of these and seems well received.

Mostly seems to be food as you mentioned. CM Sausage (sai ooua), chilli paste (nam phrik deng or nam phrik num), pork crackling, Chinese tea if you can get the good stuff from Mae Salong, oranges.

Agree with the food suggestions - particularly the pork rind. Otherwise, maybe hilltribe handicrafts - weavings etc? But not wooden frogs with sound effects........ way too many of those in the world as it is...........

People from Isaan always ask us to send them Khao Soy Tad (not the spicey soup). There is a kind of sweet/candy that is also called Khao Soy. You can buy it most tourist shops (Wa Na Sa Nan).

Our friends from BKK always take home a ton of Nam Pik (the green kind).

Agree with the food suggestions - particularly the pork rind. Otherwise, maybe hilltribe handicrafts - weavings etc? But not wooden frogs with sound effects........ way too many of those in the world as it is...........

Guess I can't ask you to sign my "Save the Wooden Frogs With Sound Effects" petition, them, Steve2UK ?

Thanks for the suggestions.

Foods and drinks from home do have a special significance to expats, inter-provincial ones included. It's understandable.

Other snack-type items, preserved fruits or condiments that may be particular to CM?

What about Hill Tribe coffees, such as the ones made by Duang Dee, who claim their beans are grown without use of pesticides or other chemicals? Which are the best local coffee producers? Though it's very evident that coffee is becoming increasingly popular around Thailand, it mostly seems to be bought and drunk outside the home. Few Thais would have coffee-makers at home, I expect. Know anywhere the individual filtering cups/pots might be found ?

Other snack-type items, preserved fruits or condiments that may be particular to CM?

[P.S. Duang Dee have a website. If you scroll to the end, you will see

"Help the poorest of the poor!

Used clothing: Duang Dee Guest House is seeking used winter clothing or blankets to distribute to the remote villages where the winter nights are very cold and the children and elderly have no access to heavy clothing. If you would like to help just drop off any clean used clothing or blankets at Duang Dee House and we will make sure it gets to the needest of the hill tribes."

I know there are sometimes threads on donation of clothing and there may be a similar one running in this forum during the current cold weather. I am not sure if or where ... perhaps a good-hearted moderator will be able to find a more appropriate place for the contents of this P.S.].

Agree with the food suggestions - particularly the pork rind. Otherwise, maybe hilltribe handicrafts - weavings etc? But not wooden frogs with sound effects........ way too many of those in the world as it is...........

Guess I can't ask you to sign my "Save the Wooden Frogs With Sound Effects" petition, them, Steve2UK ?

Thanks for the suggestions.

Foods and drinks from home do have a special significance to expats, inter-provincial ones included. It's understandable.

Other snack-type items, preserved fruits or condiments that may be particular to CM?

What about Hill Tribe coffees, such as the ones made by Duang Dee, who claim their beans are grown without use of pesticides or other chemicals? Which are the best local coffee producers? Though it's very evident that coffee is becoming increasingly popular around Thailand, it mostly seems to be bought and drunk outside the home. Few Thais would have coffee-makers at home, I expect. Know anywhere the individual filtering cups/pots might be found ?

Other snack-type items, preserved fruits or condiments that may be particular to CM?

Correct about the petition!

I recall driving back from a trip to Doi Inthanon and there was a roadside row of stalls selling preserved fruits (mainly stoned fruit like apricots, cherries etc - and others I couldn't identify but all tasty) grown nearby where the altitude and consequent cooler climate allows. Perhaps someone else can a] pinpoint that spot and/or b] point to a place in town that sells the same. The nearest equivalent I can think of are the excellent stalls at Anusan Market - they start on the left just after you enter the market from Chang Klan/Night Bazaar. Their stuff is not all local, but is all good.

IMO difficult to beat Duang Dee for genuine local coffees - and surely warmly welcomed by those who appreciate an interesting one. I've seen the individual filtering pots/cups (usually glass) but they all seem to carry a high price (all imported - from what I could see); Rimping, Central, Robinson etc. The small plunger cafetiere's are probably better value and more sensibly priced. Not sure how local Hillkoff coffee is - but I recall reading they have an "all-things-coffee" place somewhere around Chang Phuek.

Thinking of Airport Plaza, the basement has an area - near to the food court - which is full of locally produced stuff.......... honeys, herbs, spices, preserved fruits, sausage etc etc (Hillkoff and "Lanna" coffees also there). Nicely presented/packaged - so good for gifts; even their checkout bags are attractive. One other thought: Carrefour has a section way to the left from where you enter the shopping floor - a range of OTOP type stuff there.

Next floor up at Airport Plaza has the "Northern Village" - full of nick-nacks, "objects" - and supposedly local/naturally-produced soaps, balms, shampoos, oils etc. About the latter, I have a bit of inside knowledge and - from that - cause to be dubious about both the "local" and "natural" claims for some of what's sold there. Feel free to PM me if you want me to direct you to where you'll be assured that what you're getting is really both local and natural. I can't post it here because it would look like advertising something in which I have an (albeit indirect) interest - but I'll give you (and anyone else that's interested) a link to a website for a CM provider of such things that will explain everything.

Thanks, all. Very helpful.

Many goods such as nam prik and preserved fruits are available at markets such as Warorot, and they're presumably reasonably authentic at these places, but unless you are a family member or close friend I don't think you can present your goodies in a sloppy plastic bag. So, I'll try to check out these other shops.

Any clue on which of the various preserved fruits might be especially Chiang Mai-esque ?

What about the packs of crunchy bacon rind sold in many markets here ?

That one I can comment on. Whenever my wife goes to Chon Buri to visit family she takes a large number of bags of these and seems well received.

Had a chuckle with this one, as this morning I saw a Thai acquaintance off at the airport for a couple of days with "high-so" friends in Bangkok. One entire suitcase contained almost nothing but bags of pork rinds commissioned by the BKK crowd.

Ya know what? I buy the Nam Pik (sorry, can't read Thai) jar at Tesco and then refill with the treasure from my neighborhood guy!

Ya know what? I buy the Nam Pik (sorry, can't read Thai) jar at Tesco and then refill with the treasure from my neighborhood guy!

I am impressed, rrose070. Your method takes care of both form and substance.

Foreigners must pay particular attention to form as we never quite know when we may be blundering across a boundary. We do also wish to offer substance, both as an attempt to give something that will genuinely be appreciated, as well as to show we are genuinely trying to understand what that something might be.

Now, what about music ? Are there compilation CDs of Chiang Mai music that are especially recommended ? Can anyone name names?

Ya know what? I buy the Nam Pik (sorry, can't read Thai) jar at Tesco and then refill with the treasure from my neighborhood guy!

Now, what about music ? Are there compilation CDs of Chiang Mai music that are especially recommended ? Can anyone name names?

Soon Taree - obtainable from her own restaurant/performance venue in Pa Tan Road by the river (north of the Superhighway). Definitely an acquired taste - but it doesn't get more local than that. You'd also find others in the Walking Market.

With the current extreme cold snap, I'm wondering how long it will be before we start to see those "snow" globes featuring, say, Wat Doi Suthep? You know - the ones filled with water and you invert/shake them to make the "snow" fall?

I very much doubt if the Thais would take Hill Tribe products- one of the reasons the Hill Tribes are so impoverished is because the Thais treat them as second class citizens - or in many cases not citizens at all.

In my experience, Thais are quite practical present givers. They try to find out what friends want and them shop 'to order'

Having said that you do see them trundling back to Bangkok with armfuls of those pork scratchings mentioned above.

Went to this place for the first time before Xmas as we were going to stay with people in Hua Hin, and they had requested a special dried/preserved fruit product. We went to a BIG souvenir shop at the bus terminal next door to HomeMart on the ring road. They have a large range of preserved fruits and all the other things that Thais buy for Thais. Worth checking out.

Thanks, all for these additional suggestions.

Night Bazzar and walking street should be able to offer alot of local ChiangMai gift ideas.

Hilltribe key chains and book marks are my favorites to present to those from other provinces.