LATEST NEWS : Land of Silver Smiles

Think of Thailand and you probably conjure up images of lazing on pristine beaches, trekking through the jungle on an elephant, or wandering around colorful temples. For those who have been fortunate enough to visit this amazing country, the list may also include riding in a tuk-tuk, haggling for bargains at floating markets or even sampling the deliciously spicy food.

These are the popular images of Thailand, and you will find them all here. But take some time to look a little deeper, and there is so much more that this country has to offer the world.

Life moves much more slowly in Thailand as the friendly people amble through life free of care. The often heard phrase mai pen rai may translate literally as "no problem" or "it doesn't matter", but to the Thais it is so much more than just a throwaway comment; it is a whole way of life. Everywhere you turn in Thailand, you are met by the happy, beaming faces that have earned this beautiful country the unofficial title of the Land of Smiles.

The country of Thailand sits at the heart of South-East Asia, stretching from the cool, rolling hills of Chiang Mai in the north to the tropical beaches of Phuket and Koh Samui in the south. Bordered by Laos and Cambodia to the east, Burma to the west, and Malaysia to the south, Thailand can be geographically separated into four distinct regions: the hilly north, the north-east plateau, the lush central plains, and the tropical south.

The cosmopolitan city of Bangkok is Thailand's fourth official capital following the earlier reigns of Sukhothai, Ayutthaya and Thonburi. This bustling, modern metropolis serves as both the epicenter of the nation and its window to the world of international trade and commerce.

While Thailand is very accommodating of foreign visitors and their customs, Thais are stoutly proud of their own cultural heritage, which has brought us both the graceful elegance of ramwong (traditional Thai dance) and the raw power of muaythai (Thai kick-boxing).

Thai craftsmen, too, have earned a reputation for their attention to detail and you can see this in exquisitely-crafted temple carvings, silk cloth, wooden handicrafts and silver jewelry.

Today, Thailand is internationally recognized as one of the world's leading manufacturers of high-quality silver jewelry. While countries such as India and China aim for high volume production at low prices, Thailand has built a solid reputation for its highly-skilled craftsmanship and superior quality silver jewelry pieces.

It is perhaps the laidback lifestyle of the Thais that gives them the amazing patience to hand-carve the intricate details that set Thai silver jewelry apart from many of their global competitors. Add to this the stringent quality control measures that many Thai silver jewelry manufacturers adopt and it is not hard to see why silver jewelry from Thailand is so highly regarded.

As global consumer demand continues to lean towards silver jewelry rather than the more expensive gold pieces during these financially prudent times, Thailand remains the first choice for many international clients whose main concern is quality.

With the advent of cheaper silver jewelry in China and India, Thai silver jewelry manufacturers initially lost a number of their international clients. However, many of these clients have since returned. Not only has the price differential between the markets decreased significantly in recent years, but many of these customers have also discovered that the difference in quality is far more tangible.

The Land of Smiles is indeed a remarkable country with a rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural resources and amazingly friendly people. As its international reputation for producing high quality silver jewelry continues to grow, Thailand may soon become known as the Land of Silver Smiles.

For more information about silver jewelry from Thailand, contact us here.