Does anyone know where I can buy one of these in Chiang Mai.

Thank You

You can find them being sold in Tesco Lotus, Big C Extra (upstairs) the Chinese import shop behind Khontiem Market, Warrorot Market, ... the list goes on and on...

Literally everywhere.

You'd struggle to find a place that doesn't sell them.

Usually displayed by a business, they are supposed to attract money or customers to the business, according to my Thai wife.

thats a japanese maneki neko, not chinese.

that's zhao cai mao....or translated loosely as catching fortune cat ...you find them in both Japan and China..same reasons why they are placed at the cashier or windows...suppose to "catch" wealth for the shop owners who display them

Yes, japanese not chinese. It's a calico cat. Across many cultures it's thought to bring good luck in money. Calicos are sometimes called money cats in the US..........

OK, stupid question.

Why are they waving? Is it always with the same arm?

Always wondered about them.

OK, stupid question.

Why are they waving? Is it always with the same arm?

Always wondered about them.

As I understand it - the cat is waving at you to attract you into the shop to spend money. That's lucky for the shop keeper.

U got that right darkside

Post removed and the replies. Best not feed the forum troll

Could it be because the word for fish, or is it carp, sounds like money or luck or something- and well ,,,, Cats like to/ good at catching fish ,,, so the cat is not waving he is doing the catch of the luck/ money?

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They aren't really 'waving.' They are 'summoning.' "Drawing in..."

In the West, when we want someone to come to us, we motion to them with our palm facing up bringing our hand from away from us towards us in an upward motion. In most of Asia, and most definitely in Japan, when they want someone to come closer, they gesture in a downward and inward motion with the palm facing downward... just like a cat trying to catch something.

Several shops in the Warorot market area sell these. For some strange reason Hubby thinks they're really cute and had a collection. That is until we got a real cat, who delighted in pushing them off the shelves. I think the waving arms drove him (the cat) to distraction. I tend to agree with the cat on this home decorating decision.

They aren't really 'waving.' They are 'summoning.' "Drawing in..."

In the West, when we want someone to come to us, we motion to them with our palm facing up bringing our hand from away from us towards us in an upward motion. In most of Asia, and most definitely in Japan, when they want someone to come closer, they gesture in a downward and inward motion with the palm facing downward... just like a cat trying to catch something.

Yes. Watch Asians who don't speak Thai bargain in Thai markets.