Thailand: textile related shops

Over more than a decade I have been putting together information on textile shopping in Thailand from various visits, feedback and other resources. Unfortunately the information on Bangkok is now very much out of date and I have recently culled references to shops for which I can find no trace on the internet. Please note that any personal comments are likely to be more than a decade out of date.

The information on Chiang Mai is very much more current following my visit there in January 2015 and sight of a very informative resource sheet on textile shops, museums and exhibitions which was compiled for the 5th ASEAN Traditional Textile Symposium by two local Chaing Mai residents who are very much part of the local textile scene. This has enabled me to update the Chiang Mai information. For shopping see below and for museums and collections see Thailand textile collections.

I have not had the opportunity to visit some of the shops listed and take no responsibility for the accuracy of the comments and details given therein. However, I have been receiving some feedback and adding to the details, including web links as information becomes available. See notation pac for any shops that I have had a chance to visit and 2015 where this has been updated following my 2015 visit or sight of the resources sheet.

Please contact me if you have any corrections or comments on the shops listed below and please share information on any new ones you find.

Chiang Mai
Kesorn Arts	Specialising in beads, tribal art, jewelry and textiles. The shop, shared by Kesorn and her husband, Bucklee Bell, has a wide range of artefacts with many good textiles from local tribal groups and further afield. 154-156 Tha Pae Rd, Chiangmai, Thailand, tel: (0)53 874-325, email: hilltribeasia@hotmail.com Open daily 09:00-18:00 pac 2015
Pa Ker Yaw	Antique and contemporary textiles and other material culture items from southeast Asia including southwest China. Make sure that you visit the inside room stacked from floor to ceiling with fine tribal textiles. The shop is owned by the delightful Bunrin ('Rin') Thongdeelert and her sister. 180-184 Loi Kroh Rd, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50100, Tel/Fax: (0)53-275-491. From the Night Bazaar cross the Chang Klan Rd and head with the traffic to Loi Kroh Rd which is a left turn off Chang Klan Rd immediately before MacDonalds. Head past, on the right, the Downtown Inn, a large teak house and Pa Ker Yaw is teak shop next door. Open Mon-Sat 09:00-18:30, closed on Sundays. pac 2015
The Lost Heavens	68/63 Charoenprathet Road, (at corner where Loi Kroh Road ends and diagonally facing The River Market Restaurant) Chiang Mai 50100. Open Daily: 12:00-18-00 also at 2nd Floor nightbazaar building Open Evenings: 19:00-23:00. Tel: (0)53-251-557 and (0)81-783-0228 2015
Rare-Earth tribal art	Old textiles, costume, ancient beads, silver ornaments and objects of beauty. The proprietor, Chris, has a very good eye for a fine textile. Specialising in textiles from south-west China. pac 35, Loi Kroh Road, Chiang Mai near 'Raming Lodge' hotel, opposite 'Yeti' Tibetan and Nepali Arts gallery. Opening hours rom noon til 9 pm. Tel:- 66(0)871792880 rarearthart@gmail.com
Studio Naenna Main Gallery	Main gallery, shop and training center for weaving and natural dyeing. Indigo workshops are available annually. The shop stocks contemporary clothing, display weavings and very fine contemporary pieces based on traditional ikat designs woven by the Weavers For the Environment (WFE), a women’s support group founded by Patricia Cheesman. The main gallery is in a peaceful garden at 138/8 Soi Changkhian, Huay Keow Rd, Chiang Mai, Thailand 50300 and also houses the new Patricia Cheesman Collection Gallery showing her exquisite SE Asian antique textiles which are for sale. April thru September: Monday - Friday 09:00 to 17:00 Closed Weekends. October thru March: Monday - Saturday 09.00 to 17:00 Closed: Sundays. Tel. +66 (0)53-226-042 E-mail: emailus1@studio-naenna.com The web link gives a location map, contact details, opening times, workshop dates and more. pac 2015
Adorn with Studio Naenna	City showroom of Studio Naenna: 22 Soi 1 Nimmanhaeminda Road T. Suthep, A. Muang, Chiang Mai 50200. Open daily 10:00-18:00. Tel: (0)53-895-136 E-mail: emailus1@studio-naenna.com 2015
Srisanpanmai	Display cases and shelves packed with textiles which, to quote Lonely Planet, 'show a visual textbook of the textiles of the Lanna people'. 6 Soi 1 Nammanhaemind Rd. Open daily 10:00-18:00. Tel: (0)53-894-717. Make sure you ask if there is a current exhibition in the top floor gallery above the two floors of textiles for sale. In early 2015 an excellent Tai Lue textile exhibition was showing. pac 2015
Fai Ngam	20 soi 1 Nimmanhaemind Rd, Suthep, Moung Chiang Mai. Open Daily 11:00-18:00. Tel. 08 1883 1878 Email: faingam@gmail.com
Paotong	4 soi 1 Nimmanhaemind Rd, Chiang Mai. Open Daily 09:30-18:30. Tel: (0)53-217-715 2015
Cosmos	25 soi 3 Nimmanhaemind Rd, Chiang Mai 50200. Open Daily 10:00-19:00. Tel: (0)85-614-9564 2015
Sop Moei Arts	Sop Moei Arts carry a large variety of exclusive and unusual products - particularly textiles and baskets - all inspired by the Pwo Karen who make them. While retaining the ethnicity of this tribal group, SMA have 'sought to contemporize the products to suit the modern market'. The aim is to improve the living standards of the Pwo Karen by offering them fair wages. The shop provides a showcase for some very fine quality items. 150/10 Chareonrat Road, Watgate, Muang, Chiang Mai 50000, Open Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00. Closed Sunday. Tel/fax: +66 (0)53 306 123, email: sma@sopmoeiarts.com 2015
Nussara	60 Charoenrat Rd, Mueang Chiang Mai Open Daily 10:00-20:00 Tel: (0)53-302-072
Faisorcome	Charoenrat Rd, Chiang Mai Open Daily 2015
Hand by Boon at Kumpoon	158-160 Charoenrat Rd Tel: Open Daily. (0)53-089-209 2015
Tigris Moon by Sabina Fay Braxton	190 Charoenrat Rd, Chaing Mai. Open 09:30-15:00. Tel: (0)53-306-679 2015
Tribal Trappings	Tribal Trappings is a web gallery specialising in the artefacts of the world's tribal cultures (including textiles), especially those from SE Asia, Indonesia, Central Asia and the Middle East. However, Susan Stem is happy to meet customers by appointment in her home where most of her on-line items can be seen. She lives outside of the centre of Chiang Mai near San Kamphaeng. Contact Susan to arrange an appointment on (0)53-390499. She is also amenable to providing information relating to Chiang Mai sightseeing including matters textile related. pac 2015
Mitree Rungrueang Co, Ltd.	Thai hand woven cotton. 65 Chiang Mai-Sankamphaeng Road, Sankamphaeng, Chiang Mai 50130, Thailand. tel: 053-331066, 391060-2, fax: 66-53 391063.
Vila Cini	Beautiful silk interior design artefacts. Upstairs some of the sophisticated and beautiful silks can be bought by the metre. 30, 32, 34 Charoenraj Rd, Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand. Tel: (66) 5324-6246, 5324-4025, Fax: (66) 5324-4867, email: enquiries@vilacini.com pac
Ban Rai Pai Ngarm	At Chom Thong, 50 Km south of Chiang Mai Hand weaving of home grown cotton (and some silk) which has been dyed with natural dyes grown locally. The grounds of the house are entered by a long bamboo-lined driveway to reach a large teak house which is now a museum and where Khunyai (grandma) Saengda Bannasit lived. Under the house there are many looms set up with women weaving. Around the house are sheds for dyeing, displays of dyeing accoutrements and a shop. All the fabrics are natural – mainly cotton but with a little silk – and only natural dyes are used. See Susan Stem's www.tribaltrappings blog post for further information. South of Chom Tong, near the 68km marker 69-70 Chiang Mai-Hod Road, T.Sobtier, A. Chomthong, Chiang Mai 50160, Tel: 66 (0)53 361231, Fax 66 (0)53 361230 Shop 66 53 273625. pac
Bangkok
Naga House	A wide selection of the fine decorative and rare collectable silks and other jewelry, antiques, objects d'art and collector items from throughout Asia. Located in an old colonial house. 315 Soi Ongkarak 13, Samsen Road 28, Dusit, Bangkok, Thailand, tel: 662-669 3416-8, 669 3493-4, fax: 662-669 3377
Paya	This shop sells the production of a few villages in Thailand. Some textile products involving those villages are sponsored by the Queen of Thailand. Nice selection of cotton and silk handwoven items. 203 Soi Thong Lo 10, Sukhumvit 55 Road, Bangkok 10110. Tel/Fax. + 66 2 711 4457 email: payashop@yahoo.com
Prayer Textile Gallery	Sells old and new textiles, loom parts and craft items. 197, Phyanthai Road Patumwan, Siam Square, Bangkok, Thailand. tel: 66-2 251 7549. email: prayer_bkk@hotmail.com See Diana's positive comment about this gallery in comment three of the forum thread about 'removing smokey smell'. Fodor's Destination Guide says: 'Napajaree Suanduenchai studied fashion design in Germany; 22 years ago she opened the Prayer Textile Gallery in her mother's former dress shop. She makes stunning items in naturally dyed silks and cottons and in antique fabrics from the farthest reaches of Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.' pac
Rasi Sayam, Fine Thai Crafts	Fine Thai textiles and crafts from all over Thailand. A few older mat mee tube skirts as well as modern textiles. #82 Sukhumvit soi 33, Sukhuvit Road, Bangkok 10110, Tel: 662 2620729, 662 2585543. pac at old location
Thai Craft Museum Shop	A variety of Thai traditional crafts including representative textiles from across Thailand. 2nd and 3rd Floor, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. tel: 656 1149.

also see Monique Derwig's comments on places to stay and galleries in Bangkok, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai from her Thailand visit in 2005

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