An exploration of safeguarding cultural heritage textiles in Thailand : the perspectives from expected and unanticipated preservers

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore safeguarding culture in both tangible and intangible heritage relating to textiles in Thailand. The thesis contributes to understanding the foundations of local cultural heritage practices relating to textiles, contemporary practices of preserving those heritage textiles, and perspectives on ‘preserving heritage’ from different fields of participants who have been involved with conserving heritage textiles. The research combined participant observation with practice-based auto-ethnography and gathered further data through in-depth interviews and a focus group. The research focuses on key actors involved in safeguarding the cultural weaving heritage in Thailand through their contribution to textiles practices. The key actors are divided into three main groups: local practitioners, unanticipated preservers, and expected preservers, by doing so, they present how people from different fields can be part of safeguarding cultural heritage activities. With key actors from various fields, including local textiles makers, Buddhist monks, fashion designers, businesswomen, authorities, academics, and foreigners based in Thailand, the research explores their various modes of involvement in safeguarding cultural heritage textiles, identifies their common problems and considers their suggestions for designing a potential framework (to model ways) to safeguard heritage textiles. A key theme emerging from the fieldwork was the importance of educating producers and customers wishing to support local craft as part of a fashion business, especially in developing countries. Findings from this case study in Thailand, a country rich in craft but experiencing the familiar stresses of local products being undercut by imported fashion, offer lessons for other countries and regions suffering from decreased consumption of local makers. The case considers the continuation of direct craft consumption and local craft products into local fashion against current economic trends of global fashion production turning to local crafts. The fieldwork mainly collected data from local communities in Northern Thailand, especially in the so-called ‘Lan Na Kingdom’, where local culture and Buddhist practices are heavily intertwined with heritage textiles. The research uncovered many challenges to forging successful collaborations between local craft makers and global design players; amongst other things, it found arguments and misunderstandings on the purpose of specific design approaches, issues with lack of recording practice, the willingness to educate and thus enable to continue heritage skills, and the interest in being part of present global fashion demands. After careful reflection and analysis, the thesis can suggest solutions to such issues, with particular emphasis on how to link sustainability themes to safeguarding heritage textiles concerns, with conclusions reaching beyond the specific field studied in this instance.