We just arrived from Thailand and we already want to return! we had the privilege to participate in “Thailand Academy III” a huge operation held every year with the aim of promoting Thailand culture around the world , this year for the third edition the topic was “Thai textiles”, so a group of designers from several countries are invited by the TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) to spend a few days in the different provinces where the fabrics are produced, this way both designers and local artisans get to co-create beautiful pieces, have a firsthand experience with handmade materials and ancient techniques, and most of all the opportunity to get a full immersion in the Thai life style or as they say: Thainess.
Our journey started in Bangkok where we spend the first 3 days, visiting the temples, museums, markets and just enjoying the street life, which is quite dynamic!. A few important members of Thai embassy in Rome and the TAT joined us for some of the visits and took us to taste, from our point of view, one of the most tasty and rich cuisines in the world. (Be prepared for some REAL spicy dishes).
Then we meet an interesting group of designers from north Europe, with which we spend the next 4 days in the Pua district, Northern Province of Nan. There we were warmly welcomed by the guides and the local people who made of our journey an unforgettable experience, even if we did not talk the same language, somehow our creative spirits got to understand perfectly! The food was amazing and the landscape as well. We were supposed to transfer some knowledge to them and we felt was more what they taught us! Thainess means respect, smile and patience, some of the fabrics we used took months to be completed so now we see cotton from such a different perspective!
The last days of our journey were back in Bangkok: the massages, the tuk tuk, the street food, the every corner malls, the temples in the middle of the city and the foggy hoy weather are an experience to be made.
We would like to thank again Ms. Wanlika Puy and Mr. Surapit Kirtiputra for beliving in our project and to Miss Jittima Sukpalin and Sujin Ma-utsa for the incredible memories.
Some of the publications here:
http://www.pata.org/tag/thailand/
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