Ban Rai Phai Ngam

Ban Rai Phai Ngam, in Chom Thong district south of Chiang Mai, is a hand-weaving village built around the legacy of Saengda Bansitthichai — honoured as a National Artist for textile weaving — whose work is preserved at the village’s Pa Dah Cloth Museum. Entry is free; it’s roughly an hour’s drive from Chiang Mai city.

Saengda Bansitthichai, known locally as “Pa Dah,” spent decades documenting and reviving Lanna-style hand weaving using naturally dyed, hand-spun cotton — colours drawn from herbs, leaves and flowers rather than synthetic dye. The museum named after her holds looms, dyed cotton samples, and examples of patterns considered rare even within Thailand’s weaving tradition. In the village itself, women still weave on wooden looms using these techniques, and you can watch spinning, dyeing and weaving in progress and buy finished cloth directly from the makers rather than through a shop markup.

This is a small, specific craft destination rather than a broad village-life experience — the appeal is the weaving and the museum, not a staged cultural show. Visiting respectfully means treating it as a working craft community: buying cloth if you’re interested, asking before photographing people at their looms, and not expecting a curated tourist programme.

Insider Tip: Combine the visit with Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong, Chom Thong’s main temple, since both sit in the same district on the way toward Doi Inthanon.

Watch out: This is a working village, not a purpose-built attraction — hours can be informal, and it’s worth calling ahead if you’re planning a specific visit time.

If you’re continuing south, Doi Inthanon National Park is a further drive up the same road, making Ban Rai Phai Ngam a reasonable stop on the way rather than a separate day trip.