Thailand's
distinctive celadon style ceramics are readily available in Phuket.
Jade green, dark green, brown or cobalt blue homeware and souvenir
items can be found in boutiques attached to major hotels and department
stores throughout the town. Local firm Ceramics of Phuket, also
produces its own style of ceramicware made from Phuket clay in
a complete range of designs, styles, patterns, sizes and colors.
Their showroom, only 5 minutes outside of Phuket Town on Vichitsongkram
Road, is a great place to stop by and pick up some fabulous souvenirs.
Ceramics
of Phuket have also made a name for themselves for
making gifts and tableware to order - many of their products grace
the tables and rooms of Phuket's top resorts and restaurants.
Also popular as gift items are the beautiful Benjarong,
the richly coloured lidded porcelain pots that derive from 16th-century
Chinese art. These makes fine centre pieces for dining tables
and entrance halls, with sizes to suit all. A number of shops
on the islands offer these items for sale at various prices 
according
to size and perceived value. Robinsons Department Store in Phuket
Town offers a small and inexpensive selection in their Thai Handicraft
section.
Around the island's small boutiques and quasi-antique stores,
you can also find a selection of Sawankhaloke brown pottery, and
blue-and-white Chinese porcelain including pots, lamp bases, household
items and figurines. Also available all over the islands are locally
produced and imported glazed garden pots and lotus tubs - ranging
in price and size - shipping is usually able to be arranged at
a price.
Cotton
Thai cotton products are known for their supple texture, durability
and beautiful colours. A specialty of the North of Thailand, a
broad a range of clothing and household items can also be found
in Phuket. Broad weave cotton shirts, pants and skirts are the
perfect antidote to hot weather, and often breath better than
closely woven, fine silk. Table clothes, napkins and cushion covers
in natural, modern colours make wonderful inexpensive gifts. Cotton
homeware products are found in many of the night markets in tourist
areas, and in the department stores. The best place to buy Thai
cotton clothing is at Baan Boran Textiles on Yaoworat Road
and other Thai boutiques along Yaowarat Road, in Phuket Town.
Prices are slightly higher than you would pay in Bangkok or in
the North, but the quality is good. The Jim Thompson Boutiques
in Canal
Village Laguna Phuket Resort, or at Le Meridien Hotel Relax
Bay sometimes carry a range of fine Thai cotton products.
Silk
On
the top of the best buy list in Thailand, is Thai silk, sold in
most colours, in bolts of various width, length and thicknesses,
or as ready-made products such as shirts, blouses, scarves and
neckties, bathrobes and kimonos, men's suits and ladies silk jackets,
bedcovers and furnishings etc. Prices and quality do vary greatly,
but generally, good quality silk is easily found at major shopping
centres in tourist areas around the island and tailor shops at
major hotels.
Andaman Trade Centre, on Srisoontorn Road, Thalang (Tel:
272304) have a large selection of silk sold by the metre, and
around Phuket Town, there are a number of stores that sell good
quality silk and are easy to find. Shinawatra Home Mart
opposite the entrance to Boat Lagoon on Thepkasattri Road, Koh
Kaew has a good selection of silks for sale. The Jim Thompson
Boutiques in Canal
Village Laguna Phuket Resort, and at Le Meridien Hotel Relax
Bay, carry up-market, high quality, ready-to-wear silk garments
and accessories. If you're looking for something really exquisite,
specialty shops like the Laguna Beach Resort's Banyan
Tree Gift Galleries which sell garments and squares of
beautifully woven silks from regions all over Thailand and neighbouring
countries.
In the night markets at Patong, and other tourist areas around
the islands, mass produced squares of woven silk similar in size
to a sarong, are sold by street vendors at very cheap prices.
Although they are not the best quality silks to be bought, they
are very pretty and great for gifts to take home. Also available
at most markets are imported Chinese silk garments, which are
an inexpensive but great gift to take home.
Batik
The
brilliant colours of Phuket's tropical surroundings can be captured
and taken home in the form of a piece of Batik made right here
on the island. Sarongs, shirts, bags and light clothing decorated
with patterns evoking themes and colours from the rainforest and
sea, are available at many small stores in the vicinity of Patong
and Rawai. Phuket Town also has specialty shops. Try Phuket
Batik at Vanich Plaza along Loungpho Road, or Chai Batik
and Batik House on Chaofa Road, all in Phuket Town.
The
island of Phuket features an astonishing variety of Thai handicrafts,
many of which are created by craftsmen whose skills have been
handed down for generations. Others are produced in factories
using the latest in advanced technology and quality control. But
Thai handicrafts are just a small sample of the wealth of goods
available to buy here at this international resort island. Come
see for yourself what is on offer.
