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The Art and Artisans of Thailand: The rich culture of Thailand brandished

Tourists usually flock to Thailand to explore its ancient ruins, relax on the pristine beaches, savor world class Thai flavors, and to have an adventure on one of the hundreds of wonderful islands, but of late, they are equally attracted to the art and craftsmanship of this unique country.

The art and artisans of Thailand have a long standing tradition of making some of the finest handcrafted work in the world. Whether it is bone china, paintings, wooden carvings, bamboo works or cane furniture, there is something unique in each piece that makes it very much indigenous to the place. Throughout history, art in Thailand has flourished under the patronization of the Royal courts, but during the last two decades the world has started to notice the excellent workmanship of the Thai artists, and so its international popularity has risen.

All over Thailand, market places are flooded with spectacularly colored baskets, earthenware, fine silverware, shimmering silk fabrics, sparkling gems, jewelry of different designs, wood carvings, altar tables, porcelain ware and many other things. The arts and crafts of Thailand are a collection of both usual and unusual objects; all of them created with charm, taste and ingenuity.

'Benjarong' is the name of the hand painted bone china and porcelain from Thailand. Some patterns of benjarong date back to as far as the Ming Dynasty. The art of coloring porcelain and bone china is known to only a handful of families. It is said that they closely guard the secrets about the making process, how the colors are mixed and how the patterns and paint are applied; only passing them down through the generations. Benjarong is found as dinnerware, coffee services, tea pots, candlesticks, cups jars, mugs, vases, boxes, lamp bases and salad bowls.

Most of the wood carvings in Thailand come from the northern part of the county due to its plentiful hardwood forests, which include teak wood; a particularly good wood for carving. You won't believe your eyes when you see the intricate workmanship and the exquisite carved designs on the wood. This impressive work is usually created on planks of raw timber.

Thailand has long been a land of sparkling claret rubies and bright, vibrant sapphires. Cutting, grading and polishing gemstones is something like a family tradition for many small families in Thailand. The local artisans have a unique sense of cutting and edging the gemstones into different shapes. Over the years their expertise has developed to a very high international standard.

Copyright 2008 Asia Products LLC. Christopher Snyder is the Managing Director of Asia Products LLC. Living in Bangkok, Thailand, Christopher sells interesting products from the art and artisans of Thailand on his website: www.asiaproductsllc.com.