Benjarong Ceramics

One sensational souvenir that you can get back from Thailand is Benjarong, a traditional form of Thai porcelain. The word ‘Benjarong’ simply means 5 colors. Entire designing and coloring is done on plain bone china, which is usually white porcelain. If you are a traditional handicraft fan you will surely love seeing and learning the process of making them. Skilled craftsmen and women draw patterns or themes which are then filled with colors, 2 or more. After that they add liquid gold to the designs. The final finish is given by firing the painted product. This ensures the paint lasts a whole life time. The colors look much more bright and definite compared to the dull effect with just the original paints. Best part is the final finish is resistant to scratching and fading. However they advise you not to put in dishwasher or microwave. This Thai art originated in 19th century. Benjarong village is at a distance of 40kms from Bangkok. Should you wish to see the art take form from scratch it is just an hours’ drive from Bangkok. The village has plenty of home stays and workshop facilities. Tourists can try a hand at them and create their own designer pieces. Price can range from as low as 80 baht to many 1000s of baht depending on the size, intricacy of the designs, and amount of gold used.