“Top-quality handcrafted products created by village artisans from all over Thailand at fixed and fair trade prices.”

Plenty to browse. Some of the items, you will have seen a million times before and are more suited to the visiting shopper than a resident of Bangkok. However, there’s also some pretty unique stuff available as well. I’ve been twice now and it was, pretty much, the same products both times. Although I think there were a couple of new stalls.

Photo from www.thaicraft.org

Products on sale include: baskets of ALL shapes & sizes, jewelry, toys, natural soaps & lotions, silver cutlery, pottery, products made from recycled materials, woven fabric, bags, handmade paper, and more. There’s also a little coffee corner selling fair trade coffee from Chiang Mai.

The fair is held two Saturdays a month – usually the second and last. The dates for the next couple of months are:

29th January / 12th, 26th February / 12th, 26th March, 10am – 3pm

My crafty purchases:

I got myself over to Urban Space (opposite Central World) for the Martha Stewart Living Farmer’s Market this afternoon. Although I did find some great odds and ends, I was a little surprised there wasn’t more on offer. Urban Space is just that…a huge space. It should have been filled to the brim with stalls but it was sadly lacking. This could have been such a great opportunity for all sorts of small businesses and consumers alike.

It also should have had a hell of a lot more publicity. Bangkok needs more events like this. Can we not see past all the bloody shopping malls in this city for one second and venture outside the box for something a little unique?

It was such a lovely scene with products lined up on wooden crates and bales of hay scattered about for those in need of rest. In one corner there was a mini petting zoo with rabbits hopping about. In another, an Asahi beer stand occupied by a couple of men, happily sipping away while they waited for their significant others, no doubt.

Lets hope that this becomes a regular occurrence and more and more people join in. It would be an utter shame otherwise.

A few of the goodies I found for very decent prices -All made in Thailand.

Opened the LIFE section of the Bangkok Post today and spotted a couple of excellent appointments for the weekend:

1. Farmer’s Market

Urban Space next to Gaysorn shopping plaza, Ratchadamri Road. (opposite Central World)

Image from thaifestivalsblog.com

Daily: 10am – 10pm, until January 16th.

“The Martha Stewart Living Farmer’s Market features all kinds of fancy household items from trendy shops from across the country. The items include arts, craft materials, organic products, fresh produce, trendy cooking utensils and kitchenware, gardening accessories, flowers and plants.”

There will also be a variety of workshops at numerous times over the weekend.

That’s where I’ll be this afternoon people. I’m grabbing a pocket full of cash, some carrier bags and I’m off!

2. Thai Crafts Fair

Jasmine City Building, Sukhumvit Soi 23

January 15th, 10am – 3pm

The ThaiCraft Fair features products direct from villages all over Thailand. There is also fair trade coffee from the tribal cooperative, Lanna Cafe in Chiang Mai.

This fair is held at the same spot on the 2nd and last Saturdays of every month. I’ve been once before and found a few interesting things. I just enjoy browsing what’s out there really – if I find something I want to buy, its a bonus.

www.thaicraft.org