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Yan-Li-Phao | Pottery | Thai
Silk Textile | Benjarong
 Yan-Li-Phao
The specialized skills involved in weaving yan-li-phao products
have been passed down from each generation to the next for hundreds
of years. In order to preserve this ancient art of Thai weaving
and to bring it to its rightful prestige, HM the Queen of Thailand
has added yan-li-phao weaving to her list of Royal projects. Local
artists in the Southern province of Narathiwat can now earn well
from their trade as the Queen's involvement in the industry has
seen a long awaited increase in the value of this delicate art.
The yan-li-phao fern, found readily in the Southern areas of Thailand,
grows a long stem, tipped by just one dark green leaf. This strong
fibrous stem is dried, skinned and trimmed to uniform length and
diameter before vegetable dyes are used to stain the fern stem a
black, brown or cream colour. The handicraftsmen then weave exquisite
handbags and vanity cases in dainty forms. Adorned with delicate
gold handles and pin locks, these feminine accessories are strong
and eye-catching, yet graceful enough to add style to an outfit
worn on a special occasion.
Pottery
More than two centuries ago, as peace settled over Thailand under
the reign of King Rama I, thousands of up-routed villagers from
Thailand's'phrathet peuan baan' or neighbouring countries of Burma,
Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia found themselves freed from slavery but
homeless. It was at this time that the Mon people drifted downstream
from Ayuthaya and settled on Koh Kred, a small island in the Chao
Phya River in what is now the small province of Nonthaburi, North-West
of Bangkok.
Potters by trade, the Mon people found the clay deposits in the
Chao Phya River to be rich, soft and pliable, making it perfect
for their craft and have remained on the island producing attractive
pottery and objets d'art ever since.
In preparing the clay, they apply great patience and invention.
Once the clay has been excavated, it is left to stand against the
elements of the weather, covered by a damp cloth to avoid hardening.
When the clay has been mixed with sand, water buffaloes tramp on
the mounds, slowly massaging the clay into a soft and supple texture.
The urns, vases, teacups and vessels moulded by the artists on
Koh Kred are unglazed and feature elaborately detailed designs.
Tiny pores in the pottery absorb condensation and keep the contents
wonderfully chilled.
Thai
Silk Textile
The mulberry feasting silkworms of Thailand grow primarily on the
Korat Plateau in the North-East region of the country, although
most of the silk production takes place around Chiang Mai. The silk
thread of the Thai worms is a natural gold colour and often one
cocoon can yield as much as 500 metres of silk.
There are four main steps to the production of this lustrous textile.
The washing and bleaching of the fibres is required to remove a
natural glutinous substance that holds the cocoon together. Extraction
of this'glue' allows the colours to be uniformly and permanently
absorbed during the dying process. Colour dyes come in varying levels
of quality and price. Often the silk is coloured using vegetable
dyes and so the chances of dying two batches of thread the same
colour, are minimal. This gives each piece of silk a uniqueness
that may be the delight of those in search of regular sized sheets
or despair for designers who wants large amounts of one colour.
High quality Thai silk absorbs and bonds with the colour in such
a way that even exposure to sunshine and repeated washing cannot
dull.
Machine-woven silk, which is dyed after weaving, tends to have
a flat appearance. Thai silk is woven on handlooms; the warp and
weft are not of the same colour and this is what gives Thai silk
its natural sheen and lustre. If you hold a piece of good quality
Thai silk to the light, the overall colour and tone will change
depending on the angle of the light; a defining characteristic that
inferior weaves do not posses.
The final step in the production of silk is a chemical soaking
process. The purpose of this very important step is four-fold. The
chemicals in the solution preserve the sheen of the fabric, add
weight to it, render the silk soft and smooth and add to wrinkle-resistance.
The differences in approaches to these four techniques are what
create the chasm between high and low grade silk textiles. They
also explain why prices differ so widely. A gift of high calibre
Thai silk is a lasting token of the grace of Thailand.
Benjarong
Benjarong, the royal porcelain of Thailand, wears the grace of
Thai culture through each carefully placed brushstroke. In the early
Rattanakosin period, Benjarong porcelain items were highly prized
and used only in the Royal household and upper class Thai families.
Benjarong, meaning'five colours', was originally made in China,
hand crafted from clay, fired in charcoal ovens and finished in
fine gold plating. Each piece consists of hand-applied, real gold
masks laid over the white ceramic, enabling the artist to produce
a tactile, detailed Thai pattern around the gold, using at least
five colours.
The rare beauty of Benjarong allows it to be displayed as a single
piece or a set, to compliment interior design. Benjarong is a product
of Thailand that is cherished by recipients and admired by all.
All of these products are available at the Shinawatra Home Mart,
Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
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