Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand Oct / Nov 2017: The Travel Issue | Page 69
BOY AND GIRL DOLLS BY
THAI VILLAGE INC.
ORIGINAL YA DOM BY HONG THAI
Walking around Thailand’s busy sois, you might have
noticed many locals sniffing a mystery substance from
a small pot. Ya Dom — literally meaning “sniffing medi-
cine” — are in fact inhalers that have developed from an-
cient aromatic remedies to help soothe nerves, reduce
anxiety, clear stuffed noses, and reduce dizziness and
other mild ailments. It comes in many forms, including a
balm, liquid, gel or a dried mixed herb form.
The Hong Thai brand is a particular favorite, crafted
from a secret recipe of herbs fiercely protected from the
public. Hong Thai’s most coveted product is the origi-
nal, recognizable by its resilient lime green plastic pot
and weighing not much more than a feather. It is also ex-
tremely affordable at around 30 THB a pop. You can order
them at www.hongthaipanich.com, at Otop locations at
www.thaitambon.com/en/otopcenter or even at your lo-
cal Thai pharmacy.
THAI TRIANGLE PILLOWS
BY PENGUIN’S SMILE
These quirky, colorful, patterned resting pillows are a
ubiquitous sight in Thailand. From family homes to roy-
al palaces, the triangle-shaped pillow, or “mohn kid,” as
they’re called in Thai, have been prevalent in local abodes
since historic Siamese times. Penguin’s Smile are one of
the brands keeping the triangular tradition alive, using
high-quality craftwork of Thai housewives from urban
and rural communities.
A company founded by old college friends, Penguin’s
Smile makes their mohn kid unique by using batik fab-
ric — a traditional natural cloth inspired by Indonesia —
and add a charm with bright pops of color. These light-
weight, handmade pillows (390 THB each) are available
at The Thai Craft Fair every third Saturday of the month at
Jasmine City building (L floor) or at the “3 Street” store on
the third floor of Terminal 21. Find out more information
at www.penguinsmile.com/home.
Gift shopping for kids? It’s always a nice idea to present
the little ones with a handmade keepsake from your trav-
els — one which isn’t made from plastic, doesn’t require
switching on, and can be easily squished into your bag-
gage without damage. I love
these adorable and social-
ly-responsible dolls from the
non-profit organization Thai
Village Inc.
The organizers work with
local artisans from the north
of Thailand to encourage
self-sufficiency by provid-
ing vocational training and
higher education, made
possible through not-for-
profits craft sales. The dolls
come in either a boy or girl
design, with both wearing
traditional royal costumes and costing 315 THB each. The
gorgeous girl doll outfit is made from a woven material
and the boy from a printed fabric and they are available
from the Heritage Craft & Cafe in the Phra Nakorn area.
You can find their full list of locations and product range at
www.facebook.com/heritagecraftandcafe or at www.heri-
tagecraft.org.
SRIWANNA ASSORTED
FRUIT TOFFEE
Exotic fruits such as durian, coconut, mangosteen and
mango have become synonymous with Thailand. But
transporting fresh fruit to Western countries can be a pain
and sometimes an impossibility. In fact, durian has even
banned at most airports due to its pungent odor. The
good news is you can conveniently take all these fruits
home as delicious toffees. Sriwanna offers an assortment
of Thai fruit candies made with extract of real fruit, with-
out any additional coloring or chemicals.
The chewy treats are wrapped in bright crepe paper in-
side a clear bag and boast a sweet taste and truly authen-
tic smell of the real thing. They are available to purchase
in a range of fruity flavors, including durian, coconut,
mango and mangosteen, or as a mixed bag with all four.
Priced at around 150 THB for 350 grams, you can easily
find them at larger Big C and Tesco Lotus supermarkets, or
on the fourth floor of MBK. For more information contact
[email protected]
SEE WHAT SAMANTHA HAS TO SAY
Would you like to ask Samantha a question about life in Thailand?
Send an email to [email protected] and you might see your
question answered in the next issue of Wanderlust!
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