Ban Thung Hong

Ban Thung Hong, about 4 km north of Phrae town, is the home of mo-hom — the indigo-dyed cotton work shirt that has become a symbol of Phrae and, increasingly, of northern Thailand. The village’s main street is lined with shops hanging rows of deep blue shirts, and dyeing is a working trade here rather than a heritage demonstration.

The cloth is made by descendants of Thai Phuan people who migrated from Laos generations ago. Cotton is dyed in vats of fermented indigo (hom) to build up the characteristic dark blue, then sewn into the simple collarless shirts, trousers and bags sold along the street. Several workshops let visitors dip and pattern their own piece of fabric, watching it turn from green to blue as it oxidises in the air.

Beyond the dye vats, the village is an easy place to browse: family-run shops sell mo-hom by the metre and ready-made, and you can usually watch sewing and tie-dye work in progress. Prices are fixed and modest, and buying direct supports the families still keeping the craft alive.

Ban Thung Hong sits just off the highway between Phrae town and Den Chai, a ten-minute drive or songthaew ride from the centre of Phrae. The shops are open through the day and there is no admission charge — you pay only for what you buy or for a dyeing session. The cooler months are the most comfortable for wandering the shop-lined street.