The practice of handmade silk weaving has disappeared from much of the
world, but continues to be practiced by thousands of people in Northeastern
Thailand. However, as the Thai economy becomes increasingly embedded into
global flows and networks of commodities, capital and culture, there are worries
that silk weaving as a practice will either cease to be reproduced or will have to
radically change in order to service the global market. This paper, based on indepth
interviews and surveys with sellers of silk, examines this dilemma faced by
the industry. It finds that the means through which economic information is
codified and transmitted over space and the tastes of non-local markets are
ultimately resulting in changes to production practices throughout the country.
Despite the fact that the internet is enabling trade and thereby allowing production
practices to continue, fears are being realized about traditional practices being
replaced as producers become ever more integrated into global networks.