dean Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 For those that occasionally ask about furniture in Bangkok/Chiang Mai, I can give you a few "do's" amd "don'ts" in Chiang Mai. Don't take up taxi and limo drivers offer to drive you around to various areas to buy furniture. I used one last week and she first took me to an oriental rug place, even though I never mentioned that I wanted a rug. This was followed by a teak showroom and then a selverware showroom (both way overpriced). After looking for 90 minutes, I told her to take me back to my hotel. In general, even if you have a taxi driver just drop you off at a furniture or silverware store, they will insist on a commission from the owner of the store. Haave the taxi drop you off next door, if possible. I did meet several local craftspeople at the sunday festival at the gate to the city (Chiang Mai). One spoke English (since I don't speak much Thai) and has a teak handicraft shop in the Sankampang area. She picked me up at my hotel and for five hours, she showed me her shop (which has much more inventory than what she brings to the Sunday festival market). She also showed me a nearby shop that sells teak furniture (including a teak patio table and 4 chairs for 13,000 and took me by another home where they take teak from old buffalo wagons and make patio furniture, such as a solid rocking chair for 4,500 B. She showed me her "factory" where her mango vases'lamps are made (I don't think that the factory would pass OSHA standards). I had made what should be my last purshase of rosewood furniture while in Bangkok but I will be back in the middle of January and should have enough money saved by then to purshase some of the teak patio furniture that I saw (if oil prices don't drive up shipping costs too much). For those visiting Chiang Mai on a Sunday, this lady is near the gate, just on the outside (not on the streets but on the large sidewalk) and she is selling teak lanterns. If anyone is interested, PM me and I will supply her name and phone number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pianoman Posted October 11, 2004 Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Dean, I have purchased several Teak items since moving to Thailand, and found both the best prices and quality from the Prison Shops... Seems the prisons confiscate the Teak logs when they catch someone harvesting, and then put the prisoners to work making whatever out of it... Have not visited Chiang Mai area prisons, but have been to Nong Khai, Udon, Khon Kaen and even Bangkok prisons.. Give it a shot next time you go shopping for Teak Furniture.. Pianoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted October 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2004 Hopefully, you don't have to go inside a Thai prison to view the furniture. Is that what they are called in the yellow pages, "Prison shops"? My other concern is the language, since I don't speak Thai. I guess that I can always point. Any more information about Prison shops would be very appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pianoman Posted October 12, 2004 Report Share Posted October 12, 2004 Dean, I always had my lady along for translations, but you can just point and either have them right down the price or use a calculator to punch it out.. They will not discount, as they are already about the cheapest around... Most of the prisons have retail shops right in front of the prisons, so a trip "Inside" is not required.. Although having been thru a couple of them, they aren't really all that bad looking for a Very Short Visit... You just don't want to stay for any length of time, or be around for dinner... In just about any town, you can have someone from the hotels write down the addresses or directions for a taxi driver... I bought a really nice 6 pc Teak patio set for 7,000 baht... Two armed chairs, sofa/armed bench, coffe table and two end tables... My lady does not sleep well at night because I have it outside in the sun and rain... Pianoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted October 14, 2004 Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I love this stuff, wish I had a place to put it! I was told by a few people in the know, to make sure you buy furniture that is made from kiln dried lumber, other wise it might split and crack/checker as it ages...No idea how to tell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted October 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2004 I've bought quite a bit of rosewood furniture and have only had shrinkage problems with two pieces; the panels have shrunk enough to expose 1/8 inch cracks between the panels and frame. I install and re-finish hardwood flooring for a living, so I do understand kiln drying. The wood should be around 10% moisture content before proceeding to make furniture (or install as flooring). I carry a moisture meter at work to check the mositure content of flooring befoe installing. Maybe, I'll carry it with me to Thailand in January to check the moisture content of the teak furniture before I buy it (particularly prison furniture). Even taking these precautions, Bangkok is 90-95 degrees F and 95% humidity. Bringing furniture from this climate to Kansas City and turning on the heat in the winter will dry out the wood further. I've done a search on prison furniture in Thailand and it turns out that there are 75 prisons where vocational skills are promoted (mainly furniture making). They all have shops on site where the furniture is sold and there are various fairs throughout Thailand during the year where several prisons combine their inventory over a 7-10 day period. Last year in Chiang Mai, the furniture fair was between December 10-20, so I'll miss that, but I hope to visit 3-4 prison shops for teak patio furniture. The pictures that I saw of the furniture showed an extensive attention to ornate designs on the furniture, but I guess that the craftsmen have lots of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted October 15, 2004 Report Share Posted October 15, 2004 Dean, What type of oil would you reccomend to use to keep the furniture from drying out stateside? Teak finish? or another "oil" type product...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted October 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 I can only go by my experiences in the flooring business. I recommend a humidifier to be added to the room that the furniture is located. You want to keep the room's temperature and humidity as stable as possible. Even so, you look at any floor in the northern part of the U.S. in the winter, when the heat is on, and there will be gaps (hopefuly not big) between a few of the boards. As far as oiling the wood, most new furniture is coated with lacquer and oil won't penetrate the finish. What I wouldn't use on any light stained or natural wood is a wax or oil that would cause the surface to yellow with age. Its also not much fun stripping wax off of a wood floor and I can't imagine that it would be any easier on a piece of furniture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dean Posted October 29, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 Has anyone been to Amporn Gardens when there is a 10-20 day market of furniture made in Thai prisons? I guess that for the last couple of years, the market has been set up in December. I won't be arriving in Bangkok again until January 12, so unless the dates have been changed, I'll miss it. If anyone attends this year's market, please post your observations about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pianoman Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 Dean, I also missed it this year, but it was held the end of Aug.. I was told that it is twice a year, but they did not know when the 2nd showing was... But you can get better prices by going to the individual prisons... Plus it is kind of interesting seeing what they are like.... Pianoman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.