Chiang Mai has not only been well known for its beauty and its people but also it has been famous for its unique artisanal arts and crafts. The techniques and traditional ways of making them have been passing down from one generation to the next for hundreds of years.

Check out the list of workshops below to see where you can actually watch local artisans work on their pieces. Moreover, you can buy those amazing arts and crafts to take home too. They are not tourist traps, but rather something very special, I promise!

Coiled bamboo pedestal trays

Sri Pun Krua community is well-known for its beautifully designed coiled bamboo pedestal trays. In general, these pedestal trays are used by women in northern Thailand to carry flowers or offerings and give to monks at temples. In Thailand, only men can touch Buddhist monks while women are refrained to do so. Gorgeously hand painted and decorated pedestal trays are the tools for northern Thai women to hand in offerings to the monks.

Artisans prefer and often use Cephalostachyum virgatum (Munro) Kurz. This kind of bamboo can be easily found in Northern Thailand and has long trunks which are perfect for weaving. While bamboo is light and flexible, it is very durable and can hold its shape very well.

After the artisans have let bamboo trunks dry in the direct sunlight for a few days, they will cut them into long thin strips. Then they will start to weave them and then form into the desired shapes and structures. Next, latex adhesive will be brushed all over the items and let dry. After that, artisans will smooth them out with sandpapers. If there are some places that are not smooth, sawdust mixed with latex adhesive will be applied to fill the uneven spots. Then the items will be left in the direct sunlight until they are dry again. Afterward, they will apply some white clay filler and smooth them out with the sandpapers for other 4-5 rounds until the trays are smooth and textures of bamboo start to appear. Then they will varnish them with oil paint in desired colors and finish it with stunning hand-painted designs.

Apart from the pedestal trays, artisans also make so many other items like containers, basket or trays. I think they can be wonderful gifts too.

Where: Sri Pun Krua Community, Tha Sala Sub District (Close to the Promenada Mall); Hours: 08.00 – 16.00 Hours. Daily; Closed on Sundays

Bo Sang bamboo parasols and umbrellas

Bamboo parasols have been used in northern Thailand, especially Chiang Mai for almost two hundred years ago. Back then, bamboo parasols were allowed to make only for Buddhist monks and royal families. When the time has changed, people were also allowed to use parasols in their daily life too and that has become one of the cultural symbols of Chiang Mai.

Even though the traditions in making these umbrellas have been passed down for generations in Bo Sang village, nowadays, artists still make umbrellas in the traditional style but with better techniques. Main structures of the umbrellas are made from ‘Rough Giant Bamboo’ because of its durability and availability. All the parts are assembled and secured with colorful cotton threads. For the materials, available choices are in Sa Paper, cotton, rayon, and silk. All materials, except Sa Paper, will be coated with special water-repellant oil which makes umbrellas suitable for both sun and light rain. Then artisans will carefully put beautiful traditional designs on the umbrellas with acrylic and oil paints.

Every year, there is an annual festival that has been celebrating the heritage of umbrellas making in Bo Sang village and surrounding villages in San Kampaeng district. The festival is called Bo Sang Umbrella Festival and usually held on the third weekend of January. Otherwise, you still can see all the processes in making umbrellas available daily.

Where: Umbrella Making Centre Thailand; Bo Sang; San Kampaeng; Hours: 08.00 - 17.00Hrs. Daily.

Website: http://handmade-umbrella.com/

Elephant wood carvings

In the past, elephants were used to help locals dragging wood logs out of the forests or as a way of transportation. Chiang Mai locals have been having a deep bond with elephants for the past seven hundred years. Even though nowadays, elephants are not used in the mentioned purposes like before anymore, but the deep connections between locals and elephants are still there. The love and connections are often shown in different forms of arts e.g. drawings, paintings, sculptures, and especially wood carvings. 

At Baan Jang Nak (means a house full of elephants) in San Kampaeng district, which is tucked in a small street, is a jaw-dropping museum filled with elephant artworks. Baan Jang Nak is a perfect place to go see the bonds between locals and elephants that still exist. A group of woodcarving artisans have gathered together and have also been promoting and preserving the traditions of woodcarving. Artisans mainly carve elephants here and they are so lively and so real.

Where: Baan Jang Nak; San Kampaeng; Hours: 08.00 – 18.00 Hours Daily. Closed on Sundays.

Website: https://www.baanjangnak.com

Bass Umbrellas

Temples in each region of Thailand are all different in styles and features. For Chiang Mai, one of the special features that you can notice is the golden umbrellas. They usually come in two sizes; big ones with or without tiers or small ones with tiers. The big ones are generally found standing on the floor, while the small tiered ones are on top of pagodas, ordination halls, or main halls. If the main hall were a crown, then the tiered umbrella would be the diamond at the top of the crown. Donating this special kind of umbrella to temples is a way for Buddhists to show our respects towards the Buddha.

These shiny golden umbrellas are made out of brass sheets and gold leaf will be applied for the finishing touch. Artisans from Wat Pauk Tam Community has been well known for their stunning umbrellas for hundreds of years now. Nowadays, there are only about 10 – 15 artisans who can handcraft the umbrellas. Brass umbrellas found in temples in Chiang Mai and other provinces in the north are most probably made by these artisans.

If you would like to see how these golden umbrellas are made, you can visit the museum/workshop at the back of the Wat(Temple) Puak Tam. Apart from the umbrellas, the artisans also make divine golden flower hair pins too. You can get some for yourself or they will indeed make a lovely gift.

Where: Wat Puak Tam; Hours: 08.00 – 16.00 Hours. Daily; Closed on Sundays

All photo credits: Wannalak Suwannapoo