Chiang Mai - silk scarves - better quality t-shirts
 

While in CM, we'd like to purchase several silk scarves for family gifts (Jim Thompson quality or similiar). Also would like to purchase several men's high quality t-shirts or polo shirts which may have a very small Thailand-oriented logo on them -- but not a huge elephant, wat, etc. Where would we find such items? Thanks in advance for any/all info.

The vendors at the Night Market buy their goods from the Wororot Market. Any tuk tuk driver can take you there. All types of goods are sold including great snacks like peanut brittle with sesame seeds (my favorite) as well as interesting ceramics for the home and hardware. On adjoining streets are many fabric stores. I had an elephant painting framed for $12 which would have cost $200 to frame and mat under glass in New York.

For high quality silk, you're probably better off crossing the river using foot bridge in front of Wororot Market to get to Charoen Rat Road, which has several nice shops and riverside restaurants lining it. There are two or three good silk shops along this street (Vila Cini comes to mind).

For shirts, you may need to watch sizes. If your men friends are larger than a US medium, you may have trouble finding a size that will fit. A Thai "XL" is a tight fit for an American "L". I wouldn't look at Wororot for shirts, as you're unlikely to find anything in big sizes. You might be better off in a mall like Airport Plaza.

Yes, kywood-I'm not sure you'll find quite what you're looking for in the CM Night Market (although nobody is a bigger fan of the CM night market than myself-I never seem to leave before closing-and btw, you can get some great deals if you stick around just before closing, they really want to make that last sale-much better deals on patterned silk sashes, scarves (I call them long silk panels-the kind that are worn across one shoulder-or can serve as wall hangings). As for the T-shirts and polo shirts-as well as Teva sandles, luggage, hand-made Thai silverware-figurines, you name-it-you'll find many many stalls that have what you're looking for-just shop all evening and compare prices.

As for "Jim Thompson quality" silk-the only rival of JT is "Shinawatra's" (the family company of the former PM of Thailand) out on 145 San Kamphaeng Road, (which is their outlet, where you can find some great deals on silk). Also, just off the Night Market, you'll want to check out, as MichaelBKK said, Charoen Rat road-as the latter has some good upscale silk shops there (try "Nicha"). But Shinawatra's is more in line with what you are looking for, and they do have very good quality silk, at good prices in their outlet.

Speaking of JT, has anyone seen JT's new, upscale restaurant in the Ginza in Tokyo? Wow!


http://www.mhht.jp/

That restaurant is My Humble House, which is part of the Siingapore based Tung Lok group...very well known and regarded. It's not Jim Thompson.

It must be affiliated with Him Thompson in some way, or why else would be linked on the Jim Thompson website?

http://www.jim-thompson.com/index.asp

Jim Thompson's Table is a totally different restaurant to the one you provided a link to.

http://www.jttable.com/ is Jim Thompson's.
http://www.mhht.jp/ is My Humble House, the link you provided.

No, if you go to the JT website here:

http://www.jim-thompson.com/index.asp

Then click "Link" it will take to the link for My Humble House-that must now be affiliated with JT Corp.

2 different restaurants. The link on the Jim Thompson website goes directly to the Jim Thompson Restaurant, not My Humble House. Don't know how you are getting there from the JT website.

A 10 minute bit of research connects them this way.

They are both operated by the same company in Japan, Myu Planning. They are otherwise not connected...My Humble House and Jim Thompson are seperate "brands" that happen to both be being operated by the same company. http://www.myuplanning.co.jp/english This company does not operate the JT restaurants in Bangkok nor the MHH group of restaurants in Singapore.

For the original poster's question, I have kept cards from these shops that I liked.
Sop Moei Arts
9 Chareon Rd
www.sopmoeiarts.com

Nearby...
Villa Cini
www.villacini.com

Meo Jaidee Studio
Soi 1 Nimmanheamin Rd

I found the Sunday Walking Street market to have overall better quality goods and less junk than the Night Market. There were more Thais shopping at the walking street on Sunday, versus the vast majority of shoppers at the Night Market being tourists. For good quality silk and t-shirts, the Night Market is not the place to go. I also didn't notice t-shirts at the Sunday Walking Street, but there were quite a few silk scarf vendors as well as some nice soaps, lampshades, carvings, tapestries and blankets, pillows....as well as kids clothes, knock off toys, tools...everything really.

Made a mistake on one link...should be
www.vilacini.com

Thanks, everybody!!! I can always count on "Fodors Folks" to have the best information!

Remember, if you shop until closing time in the Night Market, and you're hungry because you didn't stop to eat, and everything else is closed, you can go right next door to the Yaang Come to the Chiang Mai Plaza hotel-their coffee shop restaurant is still open, and you get food past 11pm there.