BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Minister of Interior Sasithorn Kittidhrakul visited the Local Wisdom Learning Center of the Ban Non Kok Ancient Weaving Group in Udon Thani Province to reaffirm the government’s support for preserving traditional craftsmanship aligned with the royal initiatives of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother.
The visit followed a joint meeting with the governors of Udon Thani, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Loei, and Bueng Kan, as well as senior officials under the Ministry of Interior and local administrators at Udon Thani City Hall. The Deputy Minister then traveled to the learning center in Nong Na Kham Subdistrict to observe local workshop activities and the OTOP School program.
The center serves as a community hub, passing down weaving knowledge to youth and residents, helping cultivate appreciation for Thai textiles, and inspiring continued engagement in the royal initiatives championed by Her Majesty the Queen Mother.
The Ban Non Kok Ancient Weaving Group continues to weave fabric on traditional wooden looms at every stage, using natural dyes extracted from red lotus flowers. This practice follows the development guidance of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana and Her Royal Highness Princess Siribha Chudabhorn, both of whom have visited the community and supported its work.
A defining characteristic of the group’s textiles is inspired by the Queen Mother’s guidance, which encourages Udon Thani to preserve traditional patterns and adapt them into contemporary designs. As a result, approximately 90 percent of the group’s woven textiles maintain the province’s unique cultural identity, while the other 10 percent feature newly created patterns.
Following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, local weavers came together to weave black textiles as a tribute to her legacy as the “Mother of Thai Silk.” The black fabric, naturally dyed using red lotus petals, quickly gained nationwide popularity, with sales soaring into the millions of baht within days. (NNT)
