I am interested in exploring the silk weaving area of Thailand. I have heard that the Northeast, or Issam is where I need to go. Anyone know of any guides in this area? Any help or suggestions on how to find someone will be appreciated.

ttt

There's a really nice silk shop in Ubon Ratchathani call "Kham Pun" with very nice design and quality silk product, Jim Thompson like and the price is almost the same too.

I'll do more research for you and reply later.

A little bit more information for you: http://202.28.50.45/~esan/inter/eng/index.php

Wrong link try this one: http://tiny.cc/oktAF

Just talk to my wife who is a customer of Kham Pun and since we are visiting our factory in Ubon we dropped by their store and found the following information for you.

Kham Pun is THE place to learn about the very best Thai silk weaving in the NE. Their silk are renowned and even top Jim Thompson's for authenticity, beauty and price. They don't sell their wears in any store and most of their fabrics go directly to private customers(royalties mostly) and the top fashion houses in Europe. All the silk used in the costumes for the Thai movies Suriyothai and Naresuan came from Kham Pun. Their top of the line silk fabric, enough for one dress, cost about 100,000 Baht.

Their factory is in Warin, a district of Ubon and comprise of 9 Thai teak houses, beautiful, but they only open the factory to the public once a year(this year they will have a public day on July 16th, during the candle festival in Ubon) and they even charge admission.

Sadly they don't have a website and I ask the owner whey not and they said they don't need one!

Hanuman, I really appreciate the information on the silks. What I am really needing is a guide that might could take us around the area and weaving villages. I need someone who knows English and can translate for me. I have a textile business here in the states and would like to buy from the villages to help support them more and build relationships with them. Kham Pun sounds wonderful and will plan to visit them when I am there.

Stich,

I'm from a textile family too(spinning mostly) so I'll ask around but I think it will be hard to find a tour guide with a good knowledge of silk and textile.

Thanks, Hanuman. Any info might be helpful. I would be interested in more about your textile business too. If you want to email me, it's [email protected]

Sent you an email. Let me know here if you didn't receive it.