Production Development and Social Function of San Kamphang Silk, Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research investigating the production development of San Kamphang silk and its social roles are 1) to study and analyze the locational change of production site 2) to study development  and process of the change in its production 3) to study the factors that influence the change in production  4) to study change in the silk’s social function and 5) to analyze social network that affects the production process. It is found that San Kamphang silk has originated from the group of merchants who traveled to the communities and introduced the use of silk instead of cotton to skilled villagers. Villagers received wages for their skill, while the merchants were the providers of materials, weaving pattern, color scheme, as well as marketing management. The production increased significantly after Chiang Mai had been developed to be a tourism destination. San Kamphang silk was promoted as the symbol of the San Kamphang. This made San Kamphang become a well known tourism site and attracted many handicraft men and women to flow into the areas. Eventually, San Kamphang has been promoted by government and private agencies, to be the handicraft  route  of Chiang Mai. The silk production sites have thus been moved closer to the San Kamphang main road. The most important social function of San Kamphang silk is its use to in dicate the social and economic status of  the owner. This is different from the northeastern region’s silk which is used as the symbol of rites of passage for females. Tourism activities greatly influence the changes in types of the products and production techniques. The social network of the investors has significant influence on the design process, style, color scheme, and more importantly, on the production and production cessation of San Kamphang silk.