Author: admin

My mom put me in to Bua Bhat in 2000 and told Ms. Wilai to do what ever she wants with me even though I already graduate a Bachelor degree. My family owns a retail shop in this village. I help them out everyday after work. I am the oldest one of an all girl family. After my mother passed away, I took my mom place and became the head of sale of our family shop. My dad is a manager and a cook. Our lady bosses taught me about the peaceful way of Buddhistism and meditation. I told my mom to think of Buddha when she was ill. At Bua Bhat, I am human resource, a buyer and assist my boss . Sometime I help Ms. Pen with production planning. Right here we all can be the designer in many way of working and processing, I am doing my best to make my mother in heaven proud.

Hello! My name is Pen. I am Yong, born here in Kor Sa Leam village. My ancestors come from Xishuangbanna, an ancient city now a part of China. My husband owns an heirloom pottery with drawing of a rooster on it, very similar to the famous Lampang’s hand painted rooster bowl. We think they have the same origin.
I work as a product manager for Buabhat since 1998. I plan out and schedule all the production process to match with each order’s shipping due. I have to schedule every step from gathering materials, dying, sewing, and assembling of each order. Since each step have a very different process and lead time, it is very important to plan out before we begin the production.
I think I am very lucky to have such an awesome team. Not only they are very good at what they do, but they are also very willing to help each other and every body can do wide range of jobs. Also, they can do their own quality control,  every body knows that Bua Bhat’s product is about the attention to detail and neatness of the work. I am sure that every piece that left this door was made with utmost care and attention. However, if you have any suggestions, we are very welcome!

Ms. Wilawan Paijitkanjanakul
Position : Cofounder & Financial Director
I am the youngest daughter of the family hence a nick name “Noi” which means tiny in Lanna dialect. I was born in 1957. I received a master degree in education from Chiang Mai University.  At Bua Bhat, I am responsible for all the money-related biz. Labor cost is undoubtedly the number 1 cost as our products are all made by hand. Each of our items is hand crafted with highest attention to detail while keeping in mind the quality and the aesthetics. Countless time consuming and labor intensive steps were dedicated into making them. I though we would cut out few steps just to save some time and cost, but it turn out that it was not the right solution to our challenge. Even cutting out the smallest step takes away our brand. Bua Bhat is what it is today because of these extra steps we take in to producing our products. But my mission is not over yet. I will keep researching ways we can reduce cost while maintaining our quality. You’ll see.

Ms. Wilai Praijitkanjanakul
Founder of Bua Bhat Factory
My story:
I am the 6th child of Papa Wong Yeangkong and Mama Buabhat Kowaan. I was born in 1952. My nickname is “Lha” which actually means the youngest child but it turns out that there are 2 more siblings after me. Even though I graduated from faculty of education, Chiang Mai University, I didn’t become a teacher. I helped out at my family handicraft retail store “Bua Bhat”, a business Pa founded. Most of the stuffs we sold were fabric related since Pa was a design teacher specialized in designing brocade silk pattern back when horses were the only mean transportation. My mother was Teacher Yeangkong’s student when they met. When Pa was naming the store he told her that “ Buabhat… I will call our shop Bua Bhat like your name because I love you.” So I used the same name for my factory as a token for their love. Also, I find that their names have a romantic coincidence. Yeangkong, is Chinese, means a light shining from far away – this I interpreted as the sun. Bua Bhat, is Lanna for sunflower. Thus our logo is a sunflower. (Insert logo)

It was creative genes I inherited from my parents that allow me to be where I am today. As a child, I have had very little training in art and design; handicraft skills I know were only basics I learned from my secondary school Kovitdumrong. My interest in handicraft and design began when I was working for Pa. I was lucky to get to see various types of handicraft products and meet with other handicrafts advocates from Thailand and around the world. Memories of my childhood definitely shape my perspective, idea, and who I am as a designer. I can still recall the freshness of morning air, the beautiful misty sunrises, and the friendly morning market of Proa, a town where my Granma lives. It was a small rural town with not yet any electricity but full of compassions and forgiveness. Countless summers of my childhood were spent there where I learned to use things more sustainably, and to love and be respectful of nature. I grew found of the simple but meaningful way of life Granma and Ma lived. These are the core values I carried in to my work. With out them and my desire to create distinctive, high quality handicrafts, Bua Bhat will not be where it is today. I really hope these values and feelings are able to reach you and you could feel the simple but true Bua Bhat happiness too.