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Dog clothing business
booming in Thailand
Dog clothing in Thailand has grown into a booming industry as dog lovers are
willing to pull out their wallets to clothe their furry companions.
Viriya Chansavangvong started her dog clothing business two years ago. She
said the business was doing well because many dog lovers liked to dress up
their dogs, following human fashion trends or special occasions.
“Customers are so happy while shopping for clothes for their dogs. They
usually buy for special occasions. For example, on Valentine’s Day, they
hold their dogs, dressed up in a Valentine’s theme, and saying ‘Love’ to
their lovers,” said Viriya.
The dog clothing business originated in western countries to keep dogs warm
during winter. However, Viriya said Thai dog clothing also received a warm
welcome worldwide because of the fine cutting techniques, together with
lovely and comfortable designs, which Viriya noted to be the most difficult
part of the business.
Before launching the “new fashion arrivals”, Viriya always seeks help from
her beloved dogs, “Can do” and “Hoysum”, to be the fitting models and see
whether the clothes are properly designed for a dog’s movements.
Viriya said her clothes, designed for dogs with a maximum weight of two
kilogrammes, cost only around 170 – 290 Baht. Her dog boutique also provides
dog shoes, which could help prevent possible scratches on furniture and
muddy paw prints.
The dog clothing business makes Viriya a monthly income of around two
million baht. She said it had increased one hundred percent from last year,
with Japan remaining the major dog clothes’ importer.
Viriya said the future of the Thai dog grooming business was still bright
due to there being only a few producers in the market. Still, the producers
need to keep creating new things to respond to the demands of dog lovers,
who seek to pamper their pets, she said. (TNA)
Gem walking street
The gem trade in Thailand’s Tak province bordering
Myanmar is still bustling in spite of political problems in Myanmar and
economic recession in Thailand.
Both Thais and foreigners are flocking to the gem market in Mae Sod district
to appraise various kinds of gems and buy them to resell and make a profit.
This famous market is called the “Gem Walking Street”. The decade-old market
is testimonial to a hundred years of the gem trade at the Thai- Myanmar
border.
All gems sold here come from a gem mine about 200 kilometers north of
Mandalay. It’s the world’s biggest such mine, famous for the high quality
jade and ruby it yields.
About 90 per cent of rubies on the world market come from the mines owned by
the Myanmar military government. Western countries which try to sanction
Myanmar call rubies from these mines the “Bloody Rubies,” referring to the
mistreatment and their poor condition of labourers at the mines.
Still, vividly shining gems from Myanmar remain in high demand.
Although Thailand is believed to have no more gems to mine, the Thais’ skill
in cutting and polishing gems help the kingdom earn more than 140 billion
baht a year from gem exports. This ‘Gem Walking Street’ has the potential to
be the center of Asia’s gem market, according to the province’s governor.
Regardless of the notorious nickname of “Bloody Rubies”, the colourful
precious stones will continue to attract more gem traders to this walking
street as well as remain a good source of income for Myanmar. (TNA)
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