THAILAND TRAVEL NEWS: The craftsmanship found in items produced by Thailand’s artisans is legendary, with some of the finest work being performed by small guilds of village workers with little access to modern-day marketing and distribution streams.

For the last 16-years a group of mostly volunteer staff under the banner of The ThaiCraft Association has been helping village artisans put their goods in front of buyers at monthly craft fairs in Bangkok.

Operated on the principles of Fair Trade, the association works with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability, to one of security and economic self-sufficiency, through self empowerment, as well as encourages the adoption of environmentally friendly production methods.

Over the years, more than 80 artisan groups from remote hilltribe minorities in the north, to Muslim fishing communities in the deep south, have been supported by the work of the association and it’s craft fairs.

The primary aim of the fairs is to enable aficionados of Thai handicrafts to purchase goods at prices that are fair to the buyer, as well as to the seller.

The fairs have proven extremely popular with Thailand expats, as well as with visitors to the kingdom – many of whom visit on a regular basis to source items for sale in their home countries.

After more than five years of holding the markets at the Ambassador Hotel, ThaiCraft Fair Trade, the organization that organizes the venue for the artisans, has moved the markets to the Jasmine City Building in Suhkumvit Soi 23..

According to Bie, one of the communications staff with ThaiCraft Fair Trade, the new venue will allow all the sections to be on one floor and in one large and convenient air-conditioned space, as well as enable the introduction of a kids’ edutainment area, a crafts workshop and an area with organic and healthy foods for sale.

Residents or visitors who are interested in genuine, quality handicrafts produced on the principles of Fair Trade can find out more about the monthly fairs by visiting the associations website at http://www.thaicraft.org/new/index.html

By John Le Fevre

Thailand Travel News for July 22, 2009