Thailand / Shopping / Handicrafts

Hand-painted fans - a popular buy

Thailand is extraordinarily rich in handicrafts. Most famous of course is handwoven Thai silk which is cheaper in Thailand than anywhere else in the world. Aside from silk, there is a wide array of pottery as well as of wood carvings. Among the most original Thai handicraft products are painted umbrellas of handmade paper. Available in Thailand are also large quantities of handicrafts of neighboring countries, especially Burma. Actually, as the current Burmese government still prefers to keep the country isolated, more Burmese handicrafts are traded in Thailand than in Burma herself.

Aside from Burmese handicrafts, Vietnamese products are also readily available, especially in towns along the borders to Laos and Cambodia. It is said that Vietnamese handicrafts smuggled into Thailand are considerably cheaper than the same products in Vietnam.