Gaun and I were back in the garden nursery area of Chiang Mai in a burst of enthusiasm after getting back home after our Australian trip and to replace some plants that didn’t survive the heat while we were away. Our lease includes a gardener twice a week but it has been hot here and unless you water every day some plants suffer.
I decided to call into a small furniture shop I had visited before, mixed in with the huge range of plant outlets, and found they were having a sale. The cost of good quality furniture here still has me shaking my head – it is so low. Add a sale to that and it all becomes a bit dream-like. As you see from the examples below my decision to leave furniture in Australia and save the huge shipping costs makes sense when you see these replacement prices. My main problem will be not to over-furnish the new home because I won’t be able to resist the bargains.
Here’s a taste below:

This is a 3.2 meter solid wood dining table. Cost – $930.00. You couldn’t buy a flat pack table at Freedom for that!
My brother and sister-in-law, Richard and Sam, feel in love with the table at the back when visiting us in February. They were thinking of shipping it back to Australia because even with shipping added to the $270 purchase price it still would have been a fraction the cost of an equivalent piece of furniture in Australia. Think of the prices in The Woodworks, Braidwood, for my Canberra readers.
When the time comes to furnish our new home in Isaan, early next year, we will re-visit Chiang Mai and spend a couple of days to the South of the city in a place called Baan Tawai, which is a “suburb” of workshops and shops making and selling everything we will need. I will be spending a day there sometime later this year so will write a blog entry with lots of photos just so you can get an idea of the amazing quality and prices.
Update 7 October 2014:
I called by here recently and the stock levels are pretty low. It has that going out of business feel but that may not be true.
If you have enjoyed reading please leave a comment. It’s nice to know who is out there.
Great furniture can you tell me where this shop is many thanks. Greg
Hi Greg. Sorry to be so slack in replying. I missed the comment. This furniture shop is in the huge garden centre behind the Tesco Lotus on the Superhighway 11, towards the Nimmanhaemin Road end. Once you get into the garden area it is in the second street running parallel to the 11. When I saw the shop last they had run down on supplies so I don’t know how well they are doing. To see heaps more of the same sort of things go to Baan Tawai village to the South of Chiang Mai. The handicrafts area is worth a wander but there are heaps of furniture shops as you drive into the area. Good quality and prices. I wish we had something similar here in Isaan. I miss that aspect of Chiang Mai. The Trip Advisor link is here http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293917-d1762650-r126037088-Baan_Tawai_Village-Chiang_Mai.html. Enjoy. Tony