In addition to knitting I have another artisanal passion – namely the hand-woven textile creations of Thailand. What follows is an introduction to the hand-woven silk and cotton textiles of the country’s northern and northeastern regions. Information has been gleaned from Thai government publications – among others – and from our numerous visits to weavers and weaving villages in these parts of the kingdom. All photos are ©Michael Harrigan.

This is the first in a series of of three posts.

Handwoven fabrics are an integral part of Thailand’s cultural heritage and have gained the respect of textile enthusiasts around the globe. Hand weaving has traditionally been the province of rural women and would have been undertaken only after their daytime farming chores were finished. Techniques, designs, colors (and sources of them) developed over centuries – and fiber choice became aligned with social status. Simple cotton cloth lent itself to everyday wear and silk cloth became important in religious and other key ceremonies – as well as in clothing the privileged classes, including Thailand’s royalty.

Regional and local designs developed over time, and the kingdom’s North and Northeast became the most important centers of textile production.

The northern region – at one time the Lanna kingdom – comprises the provinces of Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Phayao and Chiang Rai, all home to ethnic minorities originating from Laos and China.

In Chiang Mai province the sin tin chok technique combines weaving and embroidery. A supplementary weft is worked across the fabric’s width, with the weaver using a pointed tool to raise the warps, inserting colored weft threads. This technique is considered one of the most intricate. A process applicable to both cotton and silk, pha chok creates a patterned textile, which also involves incorporating supplementary weft threads on a woven background. The technique is attributed to the Tai Yuan ethnic minority in Phrae, and the cotton textiles produced can be identified by the use of yellow as the main color. An important development in this weaving style was the use of a brocade technique, meaning that textiles could be produced in significantly less time. (In brocade weaving additional weft threads are inserted in certain sections of the fabric only – to create ornamental patterns. This is rather than being continuously woven throughout the fabric.)

The textiles of the lower northern provinces of Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Phrae and Nan bear distinct identifying features as well. The region is known for cotton fabrics – typically dyed with natural colors produced from local plants. Silk textiles are created by weavers with a higher degree of expertise. Two traditions in particular are of note: pha yok, a hand-woven silk brocade cloth from Lamphun incorporates gold and silver threads; and mo hom, a distinctive product of Phrae province, involves dyeing white cotton threads with indigo, for a deep, dark blue color.

The upper Northeast region comprises the provinces of Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Nong Bua Lamphu, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom; and the lower region includes Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani. The Northeast is well-known for mat mi (mud mee) textiles. For this ikat technique weft yarns are tied with lengths of natural string to create the desired patterns before dyeing. At the more elegant end of the spectrum, hrae wa features silk threads, which form additional wefts in a brocade technique. The patterns contrast with the textile’s red background, creating what is known as the Queen of Thai Silk.

The photo which follows depicts the weaving of an unusual type of fabric in Uthai Thani province, in Thailand’s lower north. Lao Krang weavers work with both silk and cotton threads, along with a variety of techniques incorporating the ethnic minority community’s traditions and beliefs.

Next up: A Focus on the Textile Heritage of Northern Thailand

Sources

Loha-unchit, Kasma, “A Treasure of Northeastern Thailand: Weaving Villages”, 30 May 2009, https://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/blog/posts/ne-thailand-weaving-villages.html

Thailand Foundation, “Mat Mii’, (created with special help from the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles), https://www.thailandfoundation.or.th/culture_heritage/mat-mii/

The Nation, “A Trip to Thailand’s Silk Route”, 29 Dec 2019, https://www.nationthailand.com/thai-destination/30379968

The Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand, “Types of Thai Handicrafts: Painted Silk Ikat (Pha Mai Taem Mii)”, https://cms.sacit.or.th/cms/uploads/categories/5b3b3e573becfa5d7fac4916f8bc0fed/_86e53d5629200f55a3332ca9a8a18a48.pdf

Tourism Product Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand, “Pass on the Story: Textile Treasures of Northern Thailand”, https://www.tourismthailand.org/tourismproduct