Woodancraft

Many prehistoric utensils discovered in Thailand have wooden handles. So, wood has long been used to make numerous articles for everyday life, especially in Thailand which over the centuries has had abundant forests.

Wood products in Thailand range from houses, vehicles likes boats and carts agricultural tools such as ploughs and animal traps, weaving tools such as looms and spindles, household utensils like mortars and pestles, a variety of boxes, furniture such as beds and cabinets, playthings and various musical instruments.
Wood use in making handicrafts in Thailand can be put into two group as follows :

1. Softwoods : This woods, also known as conifers or evergreens, come from trees that grow well in the mountains of northern Thailand such as some species of pine trees. They are light and manageable.

2. Hardwoods : Trees that yield these woods are generally deciduous and have broad leaves. There are quite a number of them in Thailand, for example teak, para rubber, rain trees etc.. These woods are both strong and durable; therefore, they make excellent multipurpose construction timbers, furniture, tools and equipment. They are also used for carving.

Woodcarving articles are handicrafts of high value, as they are actually works of art, having often been made with intricate designs. Moreover they are valuable examples of Thai culture, especially the old prices, as many of their patterns depict Thai historical events.

Products made from wood are now increasing popular among Thai people of the middle as well as the upper classes. To meet this growing popularity and to supply an increasing demand from international markets, there has been an increase in production, thus creating employment and a source of income for many who are involved in woodcraft.

1. Decorative items : Decorative items, currently the most popular woodcrafts both at home and abroad, can be subdivided into two groups. One group consists of picture carvings both in sculptural from and bas-relief. The other group comprises ornamental carvings for both the interior and exterior of building.

2. Traditional houses : House made from wood nowadays are called "traditional". They are generally built in The same style, with details varying according to their location, owing to differences in local climate and culture.

3. Furniture : Thai people had been using carving techniques on furniture before the Ayudhya Period when, as mentioned earlier, woodcarving rose to its peak. Ratanakosin or Bangkok furniture has inherited all the Ayudhya features.

4. Household articles : Household products made from wood which are popular both at home and abroad include kitchen utensils.

5. Toys : A student of Thai toys from the past to the present not only opens an interesting window onto thehistory of Thai life but also provides the information that originally toys were of very simple types and made locally available raw material such as bamboo, coconut, shell and wood. Later some of these playthings were designed to include an educational function so as to develop children's intelligence such as jigsaws and game of varieties.

6. Souvenirs and miscellaneous items : Left-over pieces of wood have been turned into many kind of souvenirs, also decorative and useful articles.