NONG BUA LAMPHU, Thailand – Nong Bua Lamphu’s alternating khid fabric, a traditional handwoven textile from northeastern Thailand, is gaining wider recognition following its registration as a Geographical Indication (GI) product. The textile combines khit and mudmee weaving techniques in a single piece of fabric, creating distinctive patterns inspired by local history, beliefs, and cultural traditions. The weaving tradition received renewed support with the establishment of the Ban Tham Klong Pen Special SUPPORT Arts and Crafts Center in 1982, helping preserve local knowledge and expand weaving skills to communities across Nong Bua Lamphu province. The fabric has since become one of the province’s best-known textile products.
Its distinctive identity is shaped by both traditional craftsmanship and the province’s natural environment, where conditions support mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing, and high-quality cotton production. Natural dyes from local plants, combined with inherited weaving techniques, give the textiles their unique appearance and qualify them for GI certification. The fabric is the second GI product registered in Nong Bua Lamphu, following Traditional Isan Thai Silk Yarn, and includes fabrics, sinh, scarves, shawls, pha sabai, and other textile products. It generates more than 41.50 million baht in added economic value for the province, while GI certification helps protect its authenticity and expand opportunities in premium markets in Thailand and overseas. (NNT)
