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via Bangkok Post, 20 February 2020: Sukhothai’s new designation as a Unesco Creative City brings new light to its handicrafts and traditional foods, augmenting what is already a great archaeological site.
Situated in the lower part of the northern region, Sukhothai was the first Kingdom of Siam in the 13th and 14th centuries. The province is home to the historic towns of Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai, which were listed together with Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park as Unesco World Heritage sites.
“However, Sukhothai is not yet regarded as one of the most popular tourist destinations. Most visitors who travel to the province are those who love history,” said Dasta director-general Taweebhong Wichaidit.
“In fact, the way of life of locals is also related to historical sites such as Sangkhalok ceramic wares that were produced in the old Kingdom of Sukhothai dating back more than 700 years. The art is still made by locals today,” he said.
The goal of the creative city is to encourage people, especially the younger generation, to learn to create new products or services based on what they have and add more value to their treasures.
Sukhothai is known for its many outstanding handicraft works. Among them are gold and silver carved ornaments, ceramics and pha tin jok, which is colourful hand-woven fabrics with intricate traditional patterns. The challenge is that it is hard to pick only one to be the highlight of the province, Taweebhong said.
Source: A new dawn
Thank you for the reminder of the importance of Sukhothai’s history and contributions. In acknowledgement, the ceramic societies of SE Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines) have arranged to visit Sukhothai and its nearby kilns and archaeological sites in early May.