Cham kai ceramic kitchenware
different sizes of 5 - 6 inches and 7 - 8 inches in diameter were made; the smaller one used in wealthy households and the other used by the working class.
Prior to World War ll Thailand bore witness to the rise of Chinese commerce. During that time, cham kai was widely purchased in Bangkok until the war between China and Japan
when business was interrupted. Then in 1937, Chinese craftsmen in Thailand started their own pottery businesses alter kaolin was discovered in Chae Hom District in Lampang. As the primary material source ofthe business, several ceramics businesses were thus established in Lampang. In the early years of the business cham kai was manually manufactured, and each had its own unique characteristics painted by different craftsmen.The hand made method of making the cham kai was later replaced by machine due to the increase in market demand. However, by making a large number of ceramics within a short space of time, product quality as well as individuality was sacrificed.
In 1963 there was a change. Japanese bowls became popular among most of the ceramic factories in Thailand and a shift in product quality due to the factory manufacturing method was seen. As a consequence, by 1973 the price of a cham kai six inches in diameter dramatically dropped to only 0.40 baht per item and thus the cham kai made in the early years became an antique collected in noble house-holds.
Fundamental information about Lampangs Ceramic lndustry Lampang is the only province in Thailand where ceramic products have been continuously manufactured by the same group of manufacturers. Throughout the 50 years of business, the industry has expanded to include 260 different factories, providing up to 35 billion baht per year with a local workforce of around 10,000 people. Mostly, the ceramic business in Lampang features small and medium factories manufacturing souvenirs and decorative items, whilst the larger ones primarily manufacture kitchenware for export.
Currently, all ceramic manufacturers in Lampang are struggling against fierce competition on the international stage. Some have therefore gathered together to form business alliances, supporting one another in terms ofthe manufacturing process and material supply and this "cIuster" strategy has strengthened the business capacity of Thai manufacturers in the global market. Today‘s primary countries where the products are exported to include the USA, UK, Australia,Taiwan, Germany, Canada, Hong Kong and the member countries of ASIAN.
Eco-friendly Policy In the past brick ovens would use up a lot of energy during the manufacturing process. As a consequence the Thai—German Partnership Program for SME Competitiveness (GTZ) has provided financial support in creating a model of an energy-saving factory where fibers are used as the material of the ovens instead of brick. In practice, it
helps reduce the energy used by up to 40%. It can also be run on LPG that produces less pollution, causing a cleaner atmosphere inside the oven as well as a better and more stable product quality. Ceramics and their Alternative Use ln regards to the more severe environmental problems such as vast amounts of waste, caused in part by the increasing industrial
establishments, a specific method to properly eliminate waste hasbeen applied. For example, the plaster moulds that are expired are reused as a material for cement, which is far better than filling the land with them as this can cause changes in the Ph level of the earth.
Lampang Ceramic Design Award 2008 The criteria for the Lampang Ceramic Design Award 2008
was to creatively design a ceramic product that has high marketability using as few materials as possible, whilst also giving thought to the recycling ability of the designed product.
In collaboration with the Lampang Ceramic Association, Department of Industrial Support and OTOP this competition was held for both students and anyone who was interested. The competition was also away to advertise and publicize Lampang ceramic products across
Thailand. Like the competition, to promote Lampang as the city of ceramics, the annual Lampang Ceramic Fair is held from 1st - 10th December.
Center of Asian Ceramics
The aims of Lampang's Ceramic lndustry is to increase sales from 35 billion to 70 billion baht in 2008 as well as increase the export rate to 50 billion baht, plus establish Lampang as the center of Asian ceramics by 2012.
