Tin maiden runner-up in national fair

PHUKET: Krongthong Thepsiriamnuay, from Moo 5, Tambon Wichit, has won second place in the metal products category of the “One Village, One Product” fair, which was held in Nonthaburi province on May 25-31. K. Krongthong told the Gazette today that she won the prize for a decorative tin plate she made. It featured a raised motif of Phuket island bordered by a classic “Lai Thai” design. The plate, which also had a gold-painted rim, was supported by a tin stand that was fashioned in the shape of two elephants. Besides receiving 5,000 baht and a certificate as her prize, K. Krongthong said she also sold nearly every plate she took with her to the fair. She was beaten into second place by Attapol Arunoros, of Bangkok, who made a candlestick decorated with an elephant’s head in tin. The “One Village, One Product” project is a national government job-creation initiative that began on February 26 last year, and which, the government estimates, has so far generated 3.8 billion baht in sales revenue nationwide. The fair in Nonthaburi, which was staged for all villages in Thailand to put their best wares on sale, has been hailed by the government as a great success, with goods worth 90 million baht being sold. Phuket villages entered products in three categories – pearl, jewelry and tin craftsmanship; local foods and desserts; and batiks – and returned home 1.2 million baht richer.