Saturday, June 14, 2008

I say this a lot...

One of my favourite places to go in Bangkok is the monthly Thaicraft sale at the Ambassador Hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 11. I always go on my own so I get a Saturday morning to myself; I often bump into friends and I get to lust over stunning crafts. And quite often I buy some. Oh alright, I always buy something.

Their range of goods is fantastic: cutlery, jewelry, hand woven silk, baskets, toys, beauty products, tea and coffee and lots more. It's a Fair Trade organisation and the prices are pretty much the same as you'd pay anywhere else in Bangkok ... except more of the money I pay goes to the craftpeople. No middle man.

Each month they feature one of the groups in more detail and the some of the craftpeople will come and do demonstrations of their work. Today they featured Ban Nong Takai, from the Buriram Province who spin and weave silk using traditional methods. The women here have developed products which are different from other communities' work, but that embrace cultural styles. Now I'm thinking about it, the last time we saw the silk weavers here, Husband was with me, and the lady spinning the silk offered Husband boiled silk worm. It's a delicacy, apparently.

Back in March I spoke to the Thaicraft Director about writing articles about them. I keep thinking I haven't the time ... but whenever I go back to a sale I just want to do it again. I think this time I will commit to it.

8 comments:

Rachel Green said...

That beats our local flea market into a cocked hat!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

The craft sale looks great, I'm not surprised you buy something each time you go. Mind you I think I would pass on the silk worms to.

Pacha said...

Beautiful photos. Very exotic and evocative of the place where you live (I'm so jealous). What did Husband think of the boiled silk worm? (I know my husband will be fascinated by that culinary info)

Jenny Beattie said...

Rachel, the colours too, aren't they gorgeous?

Debs, it's impossible. Another basket? Yup.

Pacha, (so good to see you) Husband thanked the woman kindly but declined. He later told me that he couldn't eat it because of its squidgyness. (He has eaten deep fried crunhy bugs in the street, though.)

Yvonne said...

The colours are glorious, I'd have a hard time not picking something up that I didn't need...great news about the articles!

Jen said...

Ew, do silkworms go down more easily than manky old earthworms, I wonder?

I love the jewel-bright colours of the market - I imagine your apartment to be bursting with exotic colours and textures.

Jealous much? Oh yeah.

Jenny Beattie said...

Yvonne, yes it's hard not to come back with something I don't need!

Jen, well he didn't actually try the silk worms because of their sqidgyness ... and I don't think he's actually tried earthworms to my knowledge!

Sue Guiney said...

Jeez, and the colours are just amazing!!