Thailand. Indochina Trade Fair Ubon Ratchathani.

As I reported there was more to the Indochina Fair than just food. There were also the usual bits and pieces on offer. Things like clothes to jewelery and trinkets and much more were to be admired and bargained for.

We headed down the textile section and there were plenty of interested onlookers checking stuff out. I was checking stuff out but it wasn’t the clothes and statues but tiny little olive skinned beauties wondering around everywhere in groups of 3 or more and they always give you little smile that could melt a softer man but luckily I am not that soft. I had to be careful at what I looked at and how long I looked at it for, as my lovely other half was never too far away and I didn’t feel like having my ears flicked and the back of my head slapped.

So available were Thai clothes that you see older Thai ladies wearing that do look very nice and are pretty colourful. They aren't too expensive and they mainly wear these on special occasions.

Of course there were plenty of Thai silks on offer and some of these are really beautiful. They can be very expensive depending on quality but they do make beautiful dresses and shirts.

There were also plenty of shirts of the King, Queen and Princess’s favourite colours. I know the King is yellow and the Queen is blue but which Princess is pink I am not sure. HRH Bhumibol Adulyadej the King of Thailand celebrates his 80th birthday this year on December the 5th.

There were also carvings and these were some mythical looking dogs that are maybe of Chinese influence, but that is my guess.



This shop was really nice and had some stunning pictures and images of Buddha’s and also of the current king and the past. The pictures were captivating and stood out and I really liked them a lot.

There was one large picture that I really liked and that was of King Chulalongkorn the Great or Rama V (royal name: Phra Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua; he was the fifth king of the Chakri dynasty of Thailand. He is regarded as one of the greatest kings of Siam. The Thais call him "The Great Beloved King". He is extremely popular and many homes have pictures of HRH in their houses. It was priced at 39,000 baht and Noot just said “No” but I tried to bargain with her and said if we could get it for 33,000 baht that would be okay but she just said no again. It’s the picture on the top right hand side with the king on the throne.

She also had plates, bags, bangles, belt buckles with American Bald Headed Eagles on them and a lot more but the prices weren’t cheap but again this was quality.


There was also jewelery to admire from elaborate looking necklaces, earrings and rings. These also looked very nice and again a few things took my eye but the mean budget lady was giving me frowns so it was looking only.

I really liked the gold amulet with the image of the king I mentioned before Chulalongkorn the Great or Rama V. I didn’t even ask the price as I know it would have been between 6,000 and 10,000 baht I would say but again I liked it a lot.


There were some funny looking ducks; well that’s what I think they were. Maybe a cross breeds between a duck and a New Zealand Kiwi bird but I am not sure.


There were some very nice looking moneyboxes that looked like a King Cobra that was wrapped around a coconut and then some dragon type figures that looked to be screaming out. We have a paper Mache giraffe moneybox. We have been filling it up now for a good 14 or so months. We used to put our change into a large tin and when we transferred all the change Noot counted it and there was just under 8,000 baht way back then and now I am not sure but the giraffe is getting full and the neck is all that’s left. Maybe it would be somewhere around the 30,000 baht mark now and Noot keeps asking to break it open and I say not until it’s full. She is itching to count it but doesn’t know the big job that will be in itself.

The last thing we looked at were some really cool looking famed pictures of different figures. The really stood out and looked as if they are made from aluminum foil and they somehow paint them. The colours and lifelike feel of the characters in the frames were really captivating.



We were going to buy a few but ended up only getting one of the more lame ones (that I thought) of a fish but it does look good and Noot liked it but I might sneak down there and buy a few of the giant figures and also the one of the tiger.

So that was the other side of the fair and it was enjoyable and we had a good time. I will try and get the post with the ladyboy pictures up tomorrow if times available.

Brunty
Flickr: Photos in 5 different sizes. Click here.