GO FURTHER GET CRAFTY

SURIN NATURE PARK

Head east to Surin province to get up close and personal with Thailand’s majestic national beast. The Ban Ta Klang Elephant Village is a sanctuary for these gentle giants, with volunteering projects that let visitors feed, bathe and get to know both elephants and their mahouts. Each November there is also a special festival called the Surin Elephant Round-up, with colourful parades, an elephant buffet, tug-ofwar battles and games.

SILK WEAVING CENTRES

Silk production is an important livelihood for villages in the northeast of Thailand, which produce what is regarded as the finest silk in the Kingdom. Visit villages such as Baan Sanuan Nok and Amphoe Na Pho to enjoy tours of the whole process: the mulberry trees that feed the silk worms; the silk threads being extracted from cocoons; silk being spun on traditional looms (you might have a go yourself); and of course, the finished fabrics, a beautiful handcrafted souvenir to take home. You can even have a nibble on silkworm larvae ‘delicacies’ – should you feel so inclined!

CHAROENSOOK VILLAGE

The vibrant Thai silks we are familiar with today are largely chemically dyed, but traditional dyeing methods relied on natural resources. One of Thailand’s most famous fabrics, known as Phu Akkanee, is created from the unique volcanic-rich soil surrounding Charoensook Village a few hours north of Buriram. Here villagers continue to wield the ancient craft to produce muted, earthycoloured silks that continue to be widely used.

LOWER NORTHEASTERN CULTURAL CENTRE

For a comprehensive introduction to the blend of Khmer heritage in northern Thailand, head to the Lower Northeastern Cultural Centre in Buriram province. From folk traditions to indigenous crafts, numerous displays help visitors glean a greater knowledge of the region’s cultural identity.