chiang mai city guide:
Detour
Back when Chiang Mai was surrounded by dense teak forests, the now-protected hardwood was the construction material of choice for everything from dwellings to drainpipes. Using skills passed from one generation to the next, master carvers spent months transforming tree trunks into intricate temple panels decorated with religious or historic scenes. They crafted miniature turtles--complete with ingenious panels for hiding money and jewelry--and chains of tiny animals wrought from a single piece of wood.
Chiang Mai remains famous for its woodcraft, but the growing demand for tourist souvenirs means that mass production techniques have supplanted centuries-old carving traditions. Less than 20 km from downtown, you'll find Ban Roi An Pan Yan (The Home of One Hundred Things, One Thousand Things), a unique museum and store whose owner Charoui Na Soonton is waging a one-man campaign to preserve antique carvings and promote young artisans.
The exquisitely rendered statuettes, panels and other items on the ground floor are for sale. The remaining four stories of the labyrinthine wooden house showcase Charoui's personal collection of objects, lovingly amassed during more than two decades. Nearly every inch of available space is covered with a distinctive visual treat. Buddhas, Hindu gods, wooden toys and erotic carvings fill the building. Let Charoui guide you through his museum and, if you're male, he might let you seat yourself on a sacred chair made from an elephant's hip bone--the Thai queen is the only woman allowed to sit on it. You can find Ban Roi An Pan Yan at 255/4 Chiang Mai-Sanpathong Road, or call (66-53) 44124.
By Jennifer Gampell
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