Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center Mae Hong Son
For decades, once of the many royal duties of Her Majesty Queen of Thailand is to accompany His Majesty the King during visit to people all parts of kingdom. In 1980, during visit to people living in Huay Duea village at Maehongson Province, Her Majesty perceived that most people were poverty stricken conditions. As a result Her Majesty graciously extended her assistance towards the relief of poverty by creating supplementary occupations in order to increase family incomes. Apart from above, Thai handicrafts, folk arts and culture of Maehongson were continuously preserved for the next generations.
“Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center” at Maehongson was officially established in 1984 as a folk arts and crafts training school. It was a place for training in silk –cloth weaving, wicker and bamboo furniture weaving, gold and silver work, and etc. Her Majesty arranged for instructors to help and teach people improve the quality of their products. Having achieved the necessary skill levels, the people were able to sell their products to Her Majesty. In addition “Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center” is a coordinating center between the Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center and entire member (more than 100 members at presently in Mae Hong Son Province.
The new building of Royal Folks Arts and Crafts Training Center was supported by the Mae Hong Son Municipality. The opening ceremony was on 23 February 2005. Royal Folks Arts and Crafts Training Center is a three stories building with a design local architecture style
Ground Floor is a royal crafts and souvenirs shop. All products were produced by Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center and other members in Maehongson Province such sesame products & sesame oil, wool scarves, bamboo products, wickerwork, silk& cotton clothes, agricultural products and etc.
First Floor is the Her Majesty’s office room for her great working. The rest areas are the exhibition of Her Majesty’s projects and also show the progress of each royal projects committee in Mae Hong Son Province.
Second Floor is a mini-museum and knowledge center of all kinds of hill tribes living in Mae Hong Son province. Traditional, culture and lifestyle’s hill tribe will be shown including the resource books on hill tribes in Thailand will be provided.
The mission of Royal Folks Arts and Crafts Training Center under Her Majesty’s royal Patronage are
1. Training and practicing in four workshops
• Silk and cotton weaving work
• Wicker weaving work
• Silver and gold work
• Bamboo weaving work
2. Being the center to cooperate with the Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center and more than 100 members in Mae Hong Son Province.
3. Encouraging and supporting in term of skills, materials, and equipments to members in order to improve the best quality of products.
4. Gathering all products from Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Training Center and other members to be displayed and distributed to markets. And also, joining in any exhibitions for widely promoting the royal projects.