BANGKOK TOUR: BAN KRUA SILK WEAVERS

On Wednesday, 14 October 2010, I lead a group of 17 Mum's from NIST on a walking tour of the Ban Krua Silk Weavers.

The Ban Krua community is made up of Chams, Muslims from Kampong Cham province in Cambodia. The Chams in the Ban Krua community are as old as Bangkok itself, having arrived in Thailand in the reign of King Rama I. They fought on the side of Siam during the Burmese-Siamese wars and for their loyal service they were granted land outside the old city.  The site is in present day Ratchathewi district just north of the National Stadium skytrain station.

Silk weaving was a traditional craft of the Chams and they brought these skills with them to Ban Krua.  When Jim Thompson started taking an interest in Thai silk in the late 1940s, he visited Ban Krua Community and helped them improve their designs and patterns.  He also introduced them to chemical dyes.  He convinced them to produce a sample batch of silks which he took to New York. The silks hit Vogue magazine and from then on Jim Thompson silk took off.

There were a group of eight Cham families who produced the silk for his Thai silk company.  We visited Khun Niphon's, who was a boy when Thompson first came to Ban Krua and is the only descendant from the original weavers.   Khun Niphon allowed us to walk around his small workshop to see the weaving looms in operation.  We were also lucky enough so see the dying process and to purchase some of the beautiful silk destined for the 5 Star Hotels in Bangkok and to London.

We also walked around the community and saw the local fire station, mosque and the locals at work before we crossed the khlong and had lunch at Jim Thompson's house. 

All in all a very good tour. 

Tour Guide: Pratunam Wholesale Market and Baiyoke Tower

Today I played tour guide to a group of Mum's from Tia's school, NIST.   We setoff from school at 9am and tackled one of the quickest but scariest modes of transport in Bangkok - the boat taxis.  Amazingly, all 17 of us managed to get on one boat so we were off to a good start.

I then showed the group around some of the vast number of alleyways that make up Pratunam Wholesale Market.  There are some great bargains to be had but the most successful stop of the day was at a shoe store that sells larger sized shoes for the Western feet (it is virtually impossible to get shoes over size 38 in Bangkok!). 

We then headed off to the Baiyoke Tower, the tallest building in Thailand.  The views from the 77th floor (indoor viewing area) and 84th floor (outdoor viewing with revolving deck) are quite spectacular, even on a hazy day.

We then headed down to the Sky Restaurant on the 76th floor where we indulged in a great International Buffet. 

Once everyone was full and feasted we wandered back through the market and returned to school on the boat taxis.

All in all a successful tour.

The Return of the Red Shirts in Bangkok

Next week, September 17th to be precise, marks 4 years since the 2006 Military Coup that ousted Thaksin, the Prime Minister of the time in Thailand. 

Bangkok is still under a State of Emergency so political rallies are illegal and will be broken-up.

The red shirts, however, are planning events to mark the coup so it will be interesting to see if these will be as peaceful as the red shirt cleaners are claiming.

I thinkmit will be a good idea to stay close to home around this date to make sure we are not stranded somewhere if they cancel the sky train or MRT.

Yummy Thai Food

Thai Red Fish Curry

On the Menu Tonight

Prawns in breadcrumbs with sweet chilli sauce. 

Not good for the cholesterol levels but what the heck!

Destruction of Central World Shopping Centre

Today I passed the burnt out shell of Central World Shopping Centre which was, up until 3 months ago, the 3rd largest shopping centre in the world.  It is being rebuilt at the moment and parts of it will, apparently, be reopening later this year. 

It is hard to believe that a building of this size, in the middle of Bangkok, can be set alight by a group of protestors and that everything appears peaceful again now.   I guess it is lucky that it was closed at the time otherwise the loss of life could have been horrific.

I have to wonder where have all the people who worked in the complex gone? Are they unemployed or have they just relocated?    The cost must be huge when you take into account all the high-end electronic equipment, clothing, shoes, etc, that was available.  Was everyone insured?  Will all the shops return? 

It is hard to find out any information but it would be interesting to know the answer to some of these questions.     

Things I have Realised while Living and Travelling Overseas

The concept of personal space means very different things in different countries. You kind of have to get used to that.

Be very careful with all hand gestures, such as the “thumbs-up” sign. In some countries this is a provocative sign.

Be aware that most people are proud of their country and culture and do not take kindly to criticism of their ways, beliefs, opinions, etc.

Don't make promises you do not intend to keep, such as telling a street vendor you will buy something tomorrow when you know you will not return. This is unnecessary and in some cultures is considered bad luck for the vendor when you break your promise.

The first customer of the day is often considered lucky and if that person is you then you can get a great discount.