Yan Lipao Basketry Famous product in Nakhon over 100 years Yan Lipao is a vine that grows in damp places among other plants in the forests of Nakhon Si Thammarat. This vine is very tough and durable and locals have found a way to make good use of it by making household goods such as handbags, tobacco boxes and tea accessories from it. Some pieces are encased in silver or gold. Depending on the details of the design, it takes between ten days to a month to make an item. The major Yan Lipao production spots are Ban Mon, Tambon Tha Rua and Ban Na Khian, Tambon Na Khian (both in Amphoe Mueang), and Fort Vajiravudh. The stitching of Yan Lipao vines began in the early Rattanakosin era. Basketry appealed to the aristocrats, noblemen, and the elite in Bangkok. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn, courtiers favored the use of handbags and pedestal trays that were made from Yan Lipao. Later, metal pieces and other adornments like gold, nak (gold bronze), silver, and ivory were added to enhance its appeal. These age-old objects were once fashionable but their popularity gradually waned. The Yan Lipao know-how could have been lost had it not been for the sagacity and good artistic taste of the Queen. She considered it a cultural heritage that should by no means be forgotten. Plus she believed that the vintage attractiveness of its basketry would make a profitable supplementary occupation for the people in the areas where the vines grow in abundance. Of course, Yan Lipao weaving involves great effort. One has to go deep into the forest to look for vines not less than an arm’s length and not too young to dry in the shade. Forthermore, properly dried strings have to be trimmed or smoothed out before use. Despite these difficulties, the Queen was sure that the ingenuity which runs in the blood of the Thai people would see them through. Those few people who had knowledge about the art were rounded up to teach the skill to members of the SUPPORT Foundation. A decade later, the almost lost art has been successfully revived. Yan Lipao basketry is popular both in the country and abroad. This is a handicraft that has become a stable source of income, bringing new life and upgrading the quality of life of a great number of Thai people.