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Carving Out A Future

by Andrew Taylor

Reinventing yourself is never easy, but reskilling a whole village is a mega challenge.  Leaving their fields, the villagers of Ban Tawai, near Thailand's northern city of Chiangmai, have retrained to become master wood carvers.

Agricultural officials in Chiangmai have a unique problem.  It’s not a lack of suitable land, fertilizer, or seed.  It’s a lack of farmers.

Around the village of Ban Tawai the paddy fields are now grazed by wandering herds of Water Buffalo, while local farmers are turning from rice growing to wood carving to support their families.

The high quality carvings coming from Ban Tawai are quickly gaining an international reputation, and are now being shipped all over the world by the container load.

Half a million Tourists annually flock to the village to look for bargains and to see the village carvers in action.

Many of Ban Tawai’s carving enterprises are small family businesses, producing their carvings on low-tech production lines.  Each family member performs a different step in the production process, while tourists walk easily through the open-aired workshops, watching the carver’s chisel, sand, and paint the carvings.

Ban Tawai’s carving businesses have become so successful and productive, that there is now a shortage of teakwood for the villagers to carve with.  The problem has become so severe; some families have been forced to use recycled timber to fill their orders.  However, the carvings keep poring out of the workshops.  You can purchase ornately carved poles, or life sized American Indians, Lions, Elephants, Spotty Cheeters, or characters from Thai and European mythology.  In the corner of one large showroom, I even spied a brilliant Mr. Toad already for his mad ride. 

Getting to Ban Tawai is relatively easy.  It’s only 20 minutes south of Changmai City.  Most of the local Tour companies offer day trips. For a fun day out take a Tuk –Tuk.  These open aired three-wheeled motorbikes will get you there in no time.  Ask your hotel reception to help negotiate a price before you start out.

One important tip for air travelers, make certain you pack your carvings properly, protruding parts can break easily.  You can buy packing material in Chiangmai to get your prized purchase home safely, so it will always remind you of your day amongst the carvings in Ban Tawai.

Mini Fact File:

-Updated 8-30-99-

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