TAT exhibition celebrates traditional textiles and the work of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit

BANGKOK – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) marked Her Majesty Queen Sirikit’s 84th Birthday month with a display of Thailand’s traditional textiles and weaving skills of the nation’s artisans, which Her Majesty has done so much to preserve. The “Passage of Thai Fabric – A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen” exhibition, held from 20 to 21 August, was a part of the TAT’s Women’s Journey Thailand campaign that is running throughout the month of August.

 

H.E. Mrs Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports said, “The Passage of Thai Fabric – A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen” event will showcase Thailand’s traditional textiles and will educate people about the weaving and embroidering traditions that have made Thai cloth and handicrafts so famous around the world. The event will allow Thais and visitors to see first-hand the huge variety and high quality of Thai fabrics and learn how they are made. Without the dedication of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, many of these fabrics and the techniques used to make them would be lost forever. It is her hard work that has made Thailand’s silks and cloth much sought after by fashion designers.”

 

 

Visitors to the exhibition were able to learn how Thailand’s fabrics and materials are unique to different regions of the country and see how the local ways of life inspire the vivid patterns and colours. There was a catwalk fashion show featuring 15 unique Thai textiles including Lai Nam Lai from Nan province, Matmi from Lop Buri, Pum Riang fabric from Surat Thani, and some of the exquisitely embroidered work from Thailand’s hill tribes and ethnic groups.
 

The show gave visitors the chance to see these wonderful fabrics used in dresses and costumes designed by leading designers from Thailand’s top five brands including ASAVA, Tube Gallery, Chai Gold Label, Hook’s and Issue, as well as innovative creations by students from Thailand’s top centres for fashion design including Silpakorn, Srinakharinwirot, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat, Rangsit, and Bangkok Universities. The fashion show will take place at Siam Paragon on 20 August from 18.30 to 20.30 Hrs

 

 

As well as the textiles from 15 different parts of Thailand, visitors to the exhibition were able to see examples of folk arts and handmade jewellery made by skilled craftspeople from around the nation. There was also the chance to buy examples of these products and so boost the income of artisan communities. It was hoped that the event will inspire tourists to travel to some of Thailand’s provinces to see where these textiles are made and are sometimes even worn by people as part of their traditional dress.

 

Mr. Visanu Jaroensilp, TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business said, “In many ways, this event celebrates Thailand’s women. Many of our most famous textiles are the result of the hard work of generations of creative women and deserve to be seen and enjoyed by a new and appreciative audience. Textiles can reveal so much about a nation, and we hope that everyone who visits this exhibition will learn a little more about our rich Thai culture.”

 

Following the exhibition at Siam Paragon, there will be an exhibition on Thailand’s traditional textiles and dresses and costumes designed by leading designers at the Plearnary Mall from 23 to 28 August, 2016.

 

 

Photo caption: H.E. Mrs. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports (front row, 4th from left); Mr. Visanu Jaroensilp, TAT Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business (front row, 3rd from right),;and Mr. Noppadon Pakprot, TAT Executive Director – Events Department (front row, right); as well as designers and models during the “Passage of Thai Fabric – A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen” fashion show at Siam Paragon, Bangkok