Thai Tribal Crafts

Thailand

Mrs Ti Buwae backstrap weaving

Purpose

The objective of Thai Tribal Crafts (TTC) is: to provide opportunities for improving the quality of life of the tribal people in northern Thailand. To achieve this objective, their goals are:

to be a non-profit but self-sustaining agency
to operate under the principles of fair trade
to preserve the traditional arts and crafts of tribal people
to provide advice and training for the producers on quality control as well as creating new designs.

Producers

Seven Hill tribes of northern Thailand are involved in the project: the Akha, Hmong, Karen, Lahu, Lawa, Lisu and Mien groups, as well as many women working in Chiang Mai. About 85% of producers are women. Thai Tribal Crafts has about697 active artisan members living in 51 villages in often remote mountain areas in northern Thailand. These people are disadvantaged by their remoteness, and by their status as tribal minorities. Often they have only limited access to land, schools and means of employment. Many craftspeople support themselves partly by labouring on the land or by growing crops on what land they have; but income from handicrafts is very important to subsidise basic family income, and to meet education and health costs.

The different tribal groups have distinctive languages and customs, and the preservation of the rich cultural heritage of the different groups is important for their sense of identity.

These tribal peoples are not in fact, the original peoples of Thailand, having come over the borders mostly ahead of political disturbances. They are spread over the whole area, including Burma, China, Laos and Cambodia. Many of those living in Thailand still do not have identity papers, although their children born in Thailand do. In many cases they also do not have title to the land they are living on and cultivating.

In addition to the Tribal groups, TTC works with Isan wood carvers from NE Thailand who are poor because they live in a dry area. Another group makes the pillow seats.

Benefits

TTC provides training and input in design, production and marketing of their handicrafts, through both the domestic and export markets. The buyer visits villages at least once per year and assists with product development. Villages on the tourist routes can make ready sales, but the inhabitants of remote villages do not have access to markets.

A 40% mark up is put on all products, however, the profits are very small. Most producers meet the basic needs of the family from agriculture, growing rice and cash crops. The sale of handicrafts helps the family with cash for childrens education, health, and supplementary food. Piece rates are worked out on the minimum wage rate, but income through TTC is somewhat limited.