teak furniture in Chiang Mai

[Guest]

Teak oil is available at a decent price. Will this help in reducing shrinkage?

[dean]

That would depend on the moisture content of the wood. That would be my only concern about buying it through a prison store. If your intent is to ship the teak to Europe or the U.S., I would think that teak oil would help against minor shrinkage. I've had two panels on large rosewood pieces of furniture shrink one quarte of an inch. I don't think that anything would have helped in that case. That being said, I have quite a bit of rosewood furniture that I have shipped from Bangkok and all of the smaller pieces and half of the larger pieces have have no shrinkage. The other half of the larger pieces have had minor shrinkage or compression at the joints.

[Guest]

another option is older teak furniture. in those days the wood was still properly stored before made into furniture, which unfortunately is not done today anymore. also the wood quality is far superior to todays wood. and if one shops around a bit the prices are amazingly low, often far less then what modern furniture cost. especially undervalued here are thai chinese art deco pieces.

i cannot stand laquered wood furniture (unless proper shellack), it takes so much away from the beauty of the wood. i love the patina of older wood.

[CarlBkk]

What's the best procedure for shipping a few pieces back home? The few shops I've looked in do not deal with the export part of it, so are there any recommendations for shipping agents and approximate costs/duty to pay on EU entry?

[dean]

I just got back form a two week trip to Bangkok and Chiang Mai and Thailand and wanted to share a few things found out about Thai furniture. I went to two different Tahi prisons last week. "Bangkok Hilton," the maximum security prison, has a few pieces of furniture that they show you from a booklet but they won't let you in the prison to see them (and I really didn't want to go in). They recommended Klom Prem prison, north of the weekend market (a 57 B taxi ride from the weekend market and a 151 B ride back to Sukhumvit). As you walk in the front entrance gate to the grounds, there is a circle drive. On the left side of the circle drive, there is a partially open area (covered), where the furniture is sold. I didn't see much outdoor teak furniture but I did buy a large ship with a mount (that I ended up carrying on four different flight segments back to the U.S., but it didn't get damaged) and a small teak cabinet, that I will have shipped back. The person at the prison that I bought these items from said to come back on 25 February, because for the ten days after 25 Feb., they will be displaying furniture made from many Thai prisons, so those in Bangkok at that time that are interested in furniture should give it a look. I bought quite a few pieces of outdoor teak furniture in Chiang Mai. The last time that I was in Chiang Mai in September, I ran across a lady selling teak handicrafts at the Sunday market. She lives in Bosang, about 15 miles east of C.M. She knows enough family business in Bosong that make teak furniture (and charge much less than the business in C.M.) that I bought 9 or 10 pieces of outdoor furniture from one of her friends for 41,000 B (it is furniture made from teak ox carts re-assembled into furniture), a modern teak patio table and 4 chairs for 13,500 B from a store in Bosang called Mallika. I am considering adding to the shipment an 8 piece indoor teak furniture set-up (sofa, chairs, coffe table and end tables) for 26,000 B. The pieces are 3 inches thick (I though about buying the more expensive teak set that is 5 inches thick for 40,000 B but they said that it would take 6 Thais to lift the sofa). Anyway, I highly recommend this lady to deal with. Her name is Ketsunee Suriyanang and her phone number is 09-9516013. You might be able to spot her at the Sunday market (not the night bazaar) selling teak lamps near the gate. Now, I just need to make enough money in the next two months to afford to ship the furniture to the U.S. I did have a great time in Thailand. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait 12 months for my next trip.