Ban Chang Nak

Baan Jang Nak — “the house of many elephants” — is the home and workshop of master woodcarver Petch Viriya, set in the craft district of San Kamphaeng east of Chiang Mai. Over decades he and his team have filled the teak compound with hundreds of carved elephants, from palm-sized figures to life-size bulls, each worked in remarkable anatomical detail. It is part gallery, part working studio, and entry is free.

Wandering the rooms reveals elephants in every pose — trumpeting, kneeling, locking tusks — carved from solid blocks of wood and finished by hand. Other animals and figures appear among them, but the elephants are the heart of the collection and the reason carvers and collectors seek the place out. On a typical day you can watch chisels at work, the floor scattered with fragrant wood shavings, and talk to the artisans about how a sculpture takes shape.

Unlike the busy shopfronts along the San Kamphaeng craft road, Baan Jang Nak keeps the calm of a private studio. There is no hard sell; visitors are free to look slowly, photograph the work, and appreciate the craftsmanship. For anyone interested in northern Thai woodcarving, it is one of the most rewarding stops in the area.

The workshop opens from 08:00 to 17:00 and closes on Tuesdays. It sits about 30 minutes east of central Chiang Mai by car or motorbike, and pairs well with the San Kamphaeng craft villages and hot springs nearby. Entry is free, though buying a small piece supports the carvers. Photography is welcome — just ask before snapping the artisans at work.