Silk and cotton weavers in Lamphun are expressing their gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya for her dedication to preserving and developing Thai textiles in the northern province as well as improving their quality of life.
Since HRH Princess Sirivannavari began dedicating herself to carrying on the work of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother in supporting, conserving and promoting Thai textiles, the princess has gone to every region known for their craftsmanship. There, the princess bestowed the royal "Khor Chaofah Sirivannavari" motif and "khit" fabrics with the "Nariratana Rajakanya" pattern to groups of weavers for product development, a move that made quite an impression.
The princess has visited Lamphun twice, in January 2020 and March of this year. On both occasions, she met residents, weavers and textile business operators.
They said they were told to help preserve northern textiles, a part of Thailand's heritage, for future generations. Furthermore, the princess advised them to develop fashionable northern textile products using environmentally friendly methods and natural colours to earn more income and improve their standard of living.
Inspiring message
Janejira Jomtang, 56, chair of the Ban Mai Takhien textile dyeing group in Thung Hua Chang district's tambon Takhien Pom, said she had the opportunity to meet the princess when she visited Lamphun in March.
On March 5, HRH Princess Sirivannavari visited an auditorium at the Lamphun Buddhist College Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Muang district to observe exhibitions on local textile weaving and northern products.
"I was so excited and happy. She was friendly. She told me dyeing textiles with natural colours makes the products more beautiful," Ms Janejira said, adding she presented the princess with a piece with the "Khor Chaofah Sirivannavari" motif with the use of natural dyes.
"The princess's remarks empowered me to put more effort into preserving Thai textiles by using natural colours for the young generation," she said. "I have also conveyed the princess's message of support to local weavers in the group."
"HRH Princess Sirivannavari has really inspired us [to develop textile products]," she said.
Ms Janejira, who founded Ban Mai Takhien 25 years ago, said its members held a brainstorming session to discuss how they could put the princess's inspirational message into action.
Everyone agreed to find more plants, vegetables and insects for natural colours in fabric dyeing, she said. These were later used for the royal "Khor Chaofah Sirivannavari" motif and "khit" fabrics with the "Nariratana Rajakanya" pattern, she said, noting their success.
"Now we've received so many orders from many customers," she said. "We can really make more money in this business."
Value-added
Kwanruethai Boonma, 28, president of the Kwan Thai Silk group in Thung Hua Chang district, told the Bangkok Post that since HRH Princess Sirivannavari began carrying out her grandmother's textile preservation projects a few years ago, the group has received more customers who like natural colours.
"These patterns by HRH Princess Sirivannavari can really add value to every silk product," Ms Kwanruethai said. "I recently sold two pieces of woven silk with the princess's royal fabric patterns and natural dyes at an industrial expo in Bangkok."
"Each is priced up to 50,000 baht," she added.
Ms Kwanruethai said her group has begun dyeing yarns with natural colours. Before the princess, the group was accustomed to dyeing yarns with chemicals, which was not a good practice, she said. A piece of textile with chemical dye is priced only between 18,000 and 25,000 baht, she said.
Ms Kwanruethai said the quality of life for weavers in the group has improved as they can earn 3,500 baht for weaving a silk product. Before this, weavers could only earn about 2,000 baht apiece, she said.
She said she met HRH Princess Sirivannavari again on Nov 2 at the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall in Bangkok during a brief presentation about the silk product Ms Kwanruethai submitted for the "Nariratana Rajakanya Khit" contest this year. Among about 1,000 pieces of woven silk submitted for the competition this year, she received the second prize, she said.
"The princess told me that my silk is very beautiful and its pattern is unique," Ms Kwanruethai said. "This has inspired me to develop textiles using more natural colours."
"If possible, I would like to invite the princess to visit weaving groups in Thung Hua Chang district and observe the dyeing and weaving activity here," she added.
State support
Amara Thasak, 61, owner of the Amara cotton fabric and Thai silk shop in Muang's tambon Wieng Yong, said she's grateful for HRH Princess Sirivannavari's dedication to preserving northern textiles and urging weavers to use natural dyes.
She said she submitted her woven silk for the textile competition last year, but she only received an admiration award because she did not use natural colours for the entire piece.
"The princess knows the colour difference between synthetic and natural dyes well," Ms Amara said.
"She touched it and knew it right away. This incident has pushed me to come back to consider natural dyes seriously," she added.
"I was not used to dyeing yarns with natural colours before. It was new to me," she said.
"Fortunately, the Department of Community Development organised a natural colour dye workshop for local weavers."
Ms Amara said during this year's contest, she again submitted a piece, but this time with natural dyes. She placed third in the competition, she said.
Bampen Muangmoon, chief of the Provincial Community Development Office under the Department of Community Development, said the department had supported textile groups like Ban Mai Takhien.
She said it does so in support of HRH Princess Sirivannavari's determination to use natural colours.
Lamphun governor Suntithorn Yimlamai said the province and its community development office are ready to support the princess's preservation project.
He said it would lead to a better quality of life for people in Lamphun.
The younger generation
Ms Amara said weaving is a part of her life. It has been passed on from her mother since she was 14 years old, she said.
"After coming home from school, I would stand behind my mother to observe how she used a loom," she said. "I enjoyed watching and learning. I feel all handmade textiles are more valuable."
She said she wants to see more young people learn fabric dyeing and weaving to help preserve this heritage.
Thanaporn Suma, 14, a Matthayomsuksa 3 student at Thung Hua Chang Pitthaya School in Thung Hua Chang district, said she learned how to dye and weave from her mother.
"I'm fond of it and want to preserve it for the next generation," Thanaporn said.
Note: This is the second of a series of four stories about Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya's work in carrying out Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother's initiative to support, conserve and promote Thai textiles.
