The folk skills used to produce the necessities of daily life have combined with the high arts of decoration used in temples and court regalia to from the basis of Chiang Mai s famous handicrafts industry. This applies whether it is an elegant celadon vase, a length of home spun hemp cloth, or a carved wooden elephant.
Local artefacts make decorative souvenirs of the folk art of the region.
Several more shops open in the evening may be found on the western end of town nearby Loi Khroh Road. In the daytime, silver and woodcarving shops are open on Wualai Road , and several shops selling arts and handicrafts may be found at the northern end of Nimmanhemin Road near the Amari Rincome Hotel. The Sankampaeng Road is known as the handicraft highway , but the emporiums which handle bus tours have gone far from the cottage industry origins of each craft. With each of the main handicrafts, a few suggestions are given for where to go looking. These suggestions are not endorsements to buy as there are many places selling all manners of handicrafts.