Before his first visit to Thailand, Katz taught himself to speak Thai using U.S. government language tapes made in the 1950s for the U.S. Foreign Service. During one of my first attempts at telephone conversation, I was told that I sounded like a drunk Thai. Potters had to learn new skills, in particular they had to learn the ability to conceive of and refine new forms. Businesses had to learn to sell in the export market. Their staff, who had never used a computer before three years ago, now use high-end graphics programs to custom design ceramic pieces for customers in South America.
Designs are e-mailed and ordered on the Web.
Ten years ago the company had just gotten started in export marketing and would ship out a 20-foot truckload of pots about once a month. Before the current Asian economic downturn, the business was shipping out a 40-foot container once a week. Katz has seen pots from Dankwean displayed in nearly every Pier One Imports in the United States he has been in. He visits this store to keep abreast of what his friends are up to. During his last visit Katz was able to see the annual Rocket Festival in Phanom Phrai.