Hi all,
I've been reading all your tips, ideas, and suggestions with great interest. I think we've already put in more hours in research than our actual trip! Gloria, I believe we'll be arriving CM the day you leave. A bit sad, I would have liked to say hello.

We'll be in the Chiang Mai area for 6 nights. I believe we will stay 3 or 4 in CM and 2 or 3 in another location. That's the big what-if now - where and how long. So here are my questions....

1. I'm interested in seeing the hill tribes but have read in several places that the villages are basicly just tourist traps lined with souveneir stands, sad faces, and locals wanting to be paid to get their pictures taken. It supports their economy, but isn't for real. I know there must be actual villages that can be visited if done properly. But, where and how?

2. The same basic question for the elephant camps. I would like to see something as close to reality as possible rather than a circus. (I want to avoid any disreputable camps where the animals may be mistreated.) I would also like a bit of a ride. Is there one camp that is more reputable than the others?

3. Both BKK and CM seem to have a certain road set up with handicraft businesses where we can see the artists and crafts people at work. Is CM the better choice?

4. I'm especially interested in purchasing silk and cotton fabric for home sewing. Where is the best place to do this? I'm also very interested in seeing them made.

5. Mae Hong Son and Pai sound like great places, too. We love seeing the countryside and hairpin turns won't bother us a bit. Perhaps we should be trying this instead of Chiang Rai. It sounds much different and thus interesting. I'm really torn as to which place to go. Hubby really insists on choosing one rather than bouncing around too much.

6. To see the areas outside CM, is it reasonable to hire a driver from CM to drop us off at either CR or MHS. Then hire a driver/guide in that town to show us around? I'm assuming we would fly back to BKK from there. Would it be sensible to have Poon do the whole thing. Paying her (or anyone's) fee plus room and board for 2 or 3 nights seems a bit steep. But I'm certainly no expert on this.

Our biggest question is HOW the HECK do we get a GOOD driver/guide in either CR or MHS, that will show us the REAL stuff since we don't speak a word or Thai?

Your guidance on this, folks, will be greatly appreciated.

poon will take your around in the north if you arrange it through ratt...not sure how good she is with the hill tribe stuff...

the shopping street in CM will have loads of demos for you to watch...i found the silk and silver ones particularily interesting...

as for a shopping/demo street in bkk i am not aware of one??????

jim thompson thai silk is the best in thailand...visit his main store on suriwong rd in bkk...also visit his outlet on soi 93, sukhumvit rd...the outley has fantastic buys...not much cotton, except upholstery ....tons of excellent buys on upholstery fabrics on 3 floors...

there are one or two shops featuring cotton in CM, but generally we have not done well in thailand with cottons...silks now that is another story....there are several large fabric shops around bkk, especially near the corner of asoke and sukhumvit rds...

For elephants -- go to Elephant Conservation Center about an hour and a half from Chiang Mai. It's the real thing.

For hilltribes -- don't go on a trek or a tour as they go to the tourist ones. I've been to many that rarely seen tourists just by going on my own or having a guide or driver take me with very clear instructions. Read my thread on off the beaten path northern thailand for ideas.

Crafts are better in Chiang Mai

The website for the elephant conservaton center is www.changthai.com. We did the homestay and would highly recommend it, but it is also nice for a day visit, they show you how they train the elephants for traditional logging, they have an elephant hospital and a small "museum" about elephants. A very caring staff will make you right at home.

I also have a recommendation for a driver. His card is at home. He was arranged by our hotel for a half day. $30. He was excellent, spoke excellent English, grew up in CM and was well informed on many current and historical topics. I will get his card and post his info tonight.

I am really into textiles so here is some of my favorites. In CM spend a day exploring Fabric St. It is on Kuang Mane by the day market, Warorot Market. You might want to take someone who can help translate, as many don't speak English. My all time favorite in CM is Jin Heng Huad ( on Kuang Mane)with a wonderful variety of fabrics including silks, cottons, hilltribe, Japanese, Indonesian... Ask about the upstairs area also. There are a ton of stores in this area and the prices are better than in the Night Market. Other good places Red Ruby 402 Tapae Rd (good silks including stone washed silk), and Chattraporn 194 Tapae(great handwoven cottons). In Bkk I love shopping for bargains at the big Jim Thompson factory outlet on Sukhumvit. They do have a floor that has a bunch of 1-2 ply silks good for clothing and alot of heavier fabrics for home decorating. I just found another beautiful silk store in Silom Village-Silk of Siam. Ask for Jay and tell him that Gale Carson sent you. I just bought a ton of silk from him.
In CM if you have time, visit another Handicraft place called Ban Tawan craft center. It is off Hang Dong-Chiang Mai Rd

thanks gale i have written this all down should we ever venture to CM again....

do you have favorite fabric places in bkk?? we have visited many but thought you might have more...thanks

rhkkmk and StitchInTime...
Thanks for all the fabric info, it's terrific. I'm a quilter primarily but do some garment sewing as well. When shopping for fabrics do you bargain for the price of each piece? Is it priced & sold by the yard/meter as in the U.S.? I'm thinking of the cutting tables and cash registers I'm used to at home, and envisioning what the Thai version will be. Can you talk me thru a typical experience? I'm curious how the prices will compare to US, perhaps you have an example? I live in a small town and don't see a lot of silk in the store, so I'm a bit out of touch with prices for the different varieties.

StitchInTime... what do you do with so much silk? I'm envisioning "buying tons" to mean 20, 30 yards or more. Are you a re-seller perhaps, or just a fabric junky as so many of us quilters are. I can't imagine what I might use a lot of silk for... but I can't bear the thought of missing the opportunity of getting Thai silk at the source. I'd love to be a buyer for a store!

Love2travel64, If you let me know your email address, I would be glad to give you more information.

StitchInTime...
Thanks. You can reach me at:
gmc4sale at mailworks dot org
Of course you'll have to make the obvious changes to 'at' and 'dot'

Here's the guide/driver reco I promised for CM:

Ukrit Yasuwan
tel. 66-1-7838386
email: [email protected] or [email protected]

We arranged him at the last minute through our hotel but he was excellent and I would not hesitate to recommend him. He didn't push any shopping or anything. We had a half day for $30 (I believe a whole day was $50). We went to the ancient city of Wiang Kum Kon (sp?) think sort of the Plymouth Rock of Thailand, an interesting place popular with Thai tourists with good explanation of the original city here from the 13th (?) century, even before Chiang Mai. We also went to the wood carving village, forget the name, nearby. It was definitely worth it to see more of N. Thailand and spend time with a well informed person. We discussed the education and economic situation, the price of gasoline, numerous topics of contemporary Thailand. His English and his knowledge were great.