The largest and most popular of the local handicraft factories are situated along a 13 km stretch of the Chiang Mai - Sankampaeng Road. Both sides of the road are lined with factories and showrooms which give you the opportunity to both observe the production of the crafts and purchase your favorites. When shopping, this is certainly the best area to visit.

The factories manufacture and sell various types of handicrafts including:

Lacquerware Silverware Silk Celadon Furniture / Woodcarving Jewellery

The art of making lacquerware is a 400 year old Chiang Mai and Thai tradition. Lacquerware is entirely handmade. Lac Resin is produced by insects from sap taken from fig trees. The exquisite oriental designs on the flawless glossy black surface are made entirely by hand. The world renowned Thai lacquerware can be decorated in paint, gold leaf, egg-shell or simply engraved.

Silverware

Chiang Mai offers a wide selection of modern and antique silverware. The city is a prime source of such objets d'art because generations of artisans have made their homes here. Chiang Mai's laid back atmosphere has brought together many ethnic groups, each with its own distinctive style, providing you with a wide range of beautiful artifacts to choose from. The majority of the best silver works are situated along the Chiang Mai - Sankampeang Road. Here you will find delicately patterned silverware from Thailand, Laos and Burma along with antique and modern hilltribe jewelry.

Both silver coins and pure silver ingots (smelted in a furnace) are beaten out by hand into the desired style or shape. Months of patient effort go into these delicate and intricate designs.

Even with modern technology, Chiang Mai silk remains a timeless expression of the craftsman's skill. From reeling the gossamer silk filaments from the cocoon, through the dyeing process, to weaving the filaments into a myriad of shimmering forms, nothing can replace the sure hands and eyes of the experienced craftsman in revealing the luminous beauty of genuine Thai Silk.

Chiang Mai is the centre of Thailand's ceramics industry. Among it most prized items is the distinctive Celadon pottery, so named for its unique glaze, the result of certain ingredients mixed with wood and ashes applied in a carefully controlled step by step process. The clay is first treated with additives which are then let in the shade and thrown. After bisque firing at a temperature of 800 C, the glaze is applied. The piece is then placed in the kiln for a second firing at a temperature of 1,250 C, which gives it its inimitable, finely cracked finish.

Skill and experience on the part of the craftsman are paramount for the process. Producing Celadon requires a great deal of time, care and concentration.

Whether you are interested in a massive bedroom set or a tiny trivet, you will find beautiful hand-carved wooden furniture in Chiang Mai. Well known for their intricate floral motifs, Chiang Mai artisans provide an array of other intricate designs which are bound to strike your fancy. The furniture comes in a variety of finishes from pastel colors to a clear gloss displaying the natural wood grain to its best advantage. Even if you are not looking for furniture, you will find a large number of hand carved figurines which are sure to match your artistic taste at a reasonable price.

Thai people are very artistic. Your tour along the Sankampaeng Road will have convinced you that they are very gifted with their hands. Thai craftsmen have also become experts in the art of making refined and elegant jewelry. Their expertise in cutting, polishing and setting gems is recognized world wide.

If you are looking for truly beautiful jewelry or just single gem stones, the Sankampaeng Road is the place to go. Here you will find an assortment of glorious sapphires, diamonds, emeralds and Siamese rubies set in a multitude of different settings including necklaces, earrings, rings and bangles all created by local artists.

Shopping in well lighted and charming showrooms.

A remarkable piece of silver work at the entry to a shop.

Another area that must be seen on the Sankampaeng road is Bor Sang - the world famous village which sells cotton umbrellas and paper parasols handpainted in variety of floral and animals designs.

Bor Sang (which translates into umbrella) was once a tiny village where generations of families engaged in umbrella and parasol making, labouring beneath their raised teak houses to craft bamboo, string and sah paper (made from the bark of the mulberry tree) into marvels of engineering. Today, the production has become an industry but the umbrellas are still made by hands and tourists from all around the world make a stop here to admire and buy the crafts.

In cottage industries, young women manufacture silk umbrellas and sah paper parasols.

After the visit to the umbrella centre, you may shop along the street for 30 minutes. This is time well spent because the choice of styles and colors among the shops is quite vast. Among the expected inventories of parasols and umbrellas you will find attractive clothing and other nice souvenirs.

For lunch you can head for delicious Thai food or just a cool drink in the beautiful garden at Baan Suan Restaurant.

e-mail : vieng@chiangmai-online.com

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