Luxury silk handmade in Thailand

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2006

BANGKOK And with the 60th anniversary of the coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on June 12 and the Thai New Year celebration in mid-April, this spring is a good time to plan a trip.

Great silk shopping can be found in central Bangkok, but if you really want to go to the source, you’ve got to hit the road and head to the village of Pak Thong Chai.

Three hours north of Bangkok, Pak Thong Chai lies at the gateway to the northeastern Isaan region of Thailand, better known as the Land of Silk. It is in Isaan’s many tambons, or villages, that the traditional crafts of hand-spinning and hand-weaving have been most lovingly preserved.

Of these villages, several stand out: Ban Khwao, Ban Siew Noi and Pak Thong Chai, where luxury silk sellers have factories and also employ a small army of independent weavers.

To walk the streets of Pak Thong Chai by day is to be engulfed by the liveliness of its business activity: This is a successful and wealthy tambon. (All its success, however, has not brought it an international-class hotel, so if you plan to stay in the region, you are better off in nearby Nakhon Ratchasima, which boasts one of the region’s only five-star hotels.)

It seems as though everyone is working on silk here, whether it is breeding and raising worms, dyeing thread or weaving meter upon meter of intricate fabric. In fact, 80 percent of the residents work in silk production, either at home, in the local factories, or both. Fabric can often be bought directly from the smaller producers, whose workshops open directly onto the street, and whose doors are usually wide open during the day.

Bear in mind, however, that most of the residents of Pak Tong Chai speak little English, and though they are friendly and patient with silk enthusiasts, this sort of direct shopping may be daunting for the first-time visitor.

Instead, head to Chatthong Thai Silk, where English is spoken and you will find fabrics made in town. The first thing you notice as you walk in - after taking off your shoes and leaving them on the rack outside - is a giant wooden loom on which a local weaver provides a near-constant demonstration. The rhythmic shunting and clacking of the shuttle is perfect music to shop by.

Fabric can be purchased by the meter in a staggering number of colors and designs. Though the prices are comparable to what you might find at a market in Bangkok, here you are assured of getting high-quality, handmade local silk. The friendly staff readily advise on how many meters of fabric it will take one of the ubiquitous tailors in Bangkok to make a dress. Or a suit. Or a simple shirt. (5, 10, and 2, respectively.)

Chatthong also offers ready-to-wear garments, from scarves and shawls to cabana wear and silk work pants, which Thai farmers traditionally wore for their durability.

If a trip to the country won’t fit into your plans, there are many good opportunities to shop for handmade silk in downtown Bangkok. Shinawatra Thai, on Rama IV Road, is a virtual department store of silk with its own in-house tailors. It offers an impressive collection of silk goods, including a line of Barbie dolls dressed in the traditional court dress of King Rama V. Be prepared to pay top dollar for even the most simple of scarves and ties, which run well above 1,000 baht, or $25.

Then there is the flagship Jim Thompson shop on nearby Surawong Road. This four-level behemoth has silk things for every occasion, from ties to custom furniture, and enough patterned silk pillows to cushion even the giant reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

If modern silk is your cup of tea, there is Pretty Little Things, a boutique shop across the street from the Siam Paragon, an immense designer shopping mall that opened in December 2005. This small shop features the silk-inflected fashions of young designers like Taned Boonprasarn and Suriya Suep-Ouan; (tel.: +661-684-3260).

Getting there:The nearest city, Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, can be reached by air-conditioned bus or train. From there you can rent a car or take a local bus, which leaves every half-hour for Pak Thong Chai.

Where to stay:Sima Thani Hotel, a five-star hotel in what used to be a Sheraton Hotel, is in central Korat. Car rentals can be arranged through the concierge; (tel.: +66-44-213100; fax: +66- 44-213121).

Where to eat: Small restaurants abound in Pak Thong Chai and Korat. Ask for kanom-jin, a local noodle dish that is almost as famous as the local silk. For exquisite modern Thai food in downtown Bangkok, try Baan Khanitha, a high-end restaurant and art gallery (www.baan-khanitha.com).

What to else do: Visit the Korat’s Thao Surani memorial, a much-worshipped monument that is believed to grant wishes, or take a trip to the nearby ruins at Prasat Hin Pai Mai.

BANGKOK And with the 60th anniversary of the coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on June 12 and the Thai New Year celebration in mid-April, this spring is a good time to plan a trip.

Great silk shopping can be found in central Bangkok, but if you really want to go to the source, you’ve got to hit the road and head to the village of Pak Thong Chai.

Three hours north of Bangkok, Pak Thong Chai lies at the gateway to the northeastern Isaan region of Thailand, better known as the Land of Silk. It is in Isaan’s many tambons, or villages, that the traditional crafts of hand-spinning and hand-weaving have been most lovingly preserved.

Of these villages, several stand out: Ban Khwao, Ban Siew Noi and Pak Thong Chai, where luxury silk sellers have factories and also employ a small army of independent weavers.

To walk the streets of Pak Thong Chai by day is to be engulfed by the liveliness of its business activity: This is a successful and wealthy tambon. (All its success, however, has not brought it an international-class hotel, so if you plan to stay in the region, you are better off in nearby Nakhon Ratchasima, which boasts one of the region’s only five-star hotels.)

It seems as though everyone is working on silk here, whether it is breeding and raising worms, dyeing thread or weaving meter upon meter of intricate fabric. In fact, 80 percent of the residents work in silk production, either at home, in the local factories, or both. Fabric can often be bought directly from the smaller producers, whose workshops open directly onto the street, and whose doors are usually wide open during the day.

Bear in mind, however, that most of the residents of Pak Tong Chai speak little English, and though they are friendly and patient with silk enthusiasts, this sort of direct shopping may be daunting for the first-time visitor.

Instead, head to Chatthong Thai Silk, where English is spoken and you will find fabrics made in town. The first thing you notice as you walk in - after taking off your shoes and leaving them on the rack outside - is a giant wooden loom on which a local weaver provides a near-constant demonstration. The rhythmic shunting and clacking of the shuttle is perfect music to shop by.

Fabric can be purchased by the meter in a staggering number of colors and designs. Though the prices are comparable to what you might find at a market in Bangkok, here you are assured of getting high-quality, handmade local silk. The friendly staff readily advise on how many meters of fabric it will take one of the ubiquitous tailors in Bangkok to make a dress. Or a suit. Or a simple shirt. (5, 10, and 2, respectively.)

Chatthong also offers ready-to-wear garments, from scarves and shawls to cabana wear and silk work pants, which Thai farmers traditionally wore for their durability.

If a trip to the country won’t fit into your plans, there are many good opportunities to shop for handmade silk in downtown Bangkok. Shinawatra Thai, on Rama IV Road, is a virtual department store of silk with its own in-house tailors. It offers an impressive collection of silk goods, including a line of Barbie dolls dressed in the traditional court dress of King Rama V. Be prepared to pay top dollar for even the most simple of scarves and ties, which run well above 1,000 baht, or $25.

Then there is the flagship Jim Thompson shop on nearby Surawong Road. This four-level behemoth has silk things for every occasion, from ties to custom furniture, and enough patterned silk pillows to cushion even the giant reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

If modern silk is your cup of tea, there is Pretty Little Things, a boutique shop across the street from the Siam Paragon, an immense designer shopping mall that opened in December 2005. This small shop features the silk-inflected fashions of young designers like Taned Boonprasarn and Suriya Suep-Ouan; (tel.: +661-684-3260).

Getting there:The nearest city, Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat, can be reached by air-conditioned bus or train. From there you can rent a car or take a local bus, which leaves every half-hour for Pak Thong Chai.

Where to stay:Sima Thani Hotel, a five-star hotel in what used to be a Sheraton Hotel, is in central Korat. Car rentals can be arranged through the concierge; (tel.: +66-44-213100; fax: +66- 44-213121).

Where to eat: Small restaurants abound in Pak Thong Chai and Korat. Ask for kanom-jin, a local noodle dish that is almost as famous as the local silk. For exquisite modern Thai food in downtown Bangkok, try Baan Khanitha, a high-end restaurant and art gallery (www.baan-khanitha.com).

What to else do: Visit the Korat’s Thao Surani memorial, a much-worshipped monument that is believed to grant wishes, or take a trip to the nearby ruins at Prasat Hin Pai Mai.

PCT Thailand

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