Bamboo and Rattan Basketry

 Bamboo

Bamboo is a natural plant in Thailand and has had a special place in Thai daily life from time immemorial. Many rural people in Thailand have, since the old days, built their houses and made their household utensils from bamboo.

This "wonder" plant can grow anywhere, weather any kind of climate and has many good qualities: all of its parts are useful: root, shoot, leaves and stem. As regards its stem, it can be split into strips which can be bent or twisted, yet do not break very easily; besides, when made into any shape it is pressure-resistent, i.e. able to retain its original form after hard handling; hence an ideal material for basket making.

There are many species of bamboo in Thailand that are good for basket making; for example Pai Seesuk, Pai Saang, Pai Liang, Pai Seenual, Pai Ruag, Pai Hea etc (Pai is the Thai word for bamboo). The most popular is the first which is of the BAMBUSA BLUMEANA family, growing in every part of Thailand not in forests but on low plains, preferably in sunny areas near water. Country people also like to grow this kind of bamboo as fences around their houses.

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Rattan
Unlike bamboo, this plant of the PALMAE family grows naturally in forest areas where the climate is both hot and damp with heavy rainfall. In Thailand it is mostly found in the south, for example in Surat Thani, Songkha, Ranong, Krabi and Pattani provinces. 

Although its stem is pliant like bamboo's and very suitable for basket making, rattan is considerably tougher, stronger and more durable, hence very precious to this craft and very important regarding its economic value in Thailand.

As many as 40 species grow in this country but the most abundant is of the CALAMUS family whose sub-species which are very popular for basket making include red rattan, Omad, Kalong, Hom and Chumporn.