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Colorful batik banners blowing in the breezes at the Phuket International
Airport greet the international visitor upon arrival to the island.
These were created by Khun Sirichai (Chai) Jansongsang who has become
the most prominent and prolific creator of local batiks.
Batik is a fabric art well known around Southeast Asia. From stunning
complex patterns drawn on silk saris in India to complicated floral
and decorative patterns seen in Indonesian batik, the custom of
making art on fabric is as ancient as the cultures in the region.
But it wasn't until recent years that batik art was introduced
to Phuket by an art instructor at the local Teacher's College. Adjaan
(teacher) Chuchart Ravichan was a watercolor instructor who began
experimenting with painting bright floral and underwater scenes
on cotton. "The quality of light on Phuket is very bright.
I wanted to capture the vitality of nature, both the tropical vegetation
as well as the corals and fish that surround the island," stated
Adjaan Chuchart.
Unlike popular batiks from Indonesia where wood blocks are used
to create uniform patterns, local batiks are free form, each an
effort from the artist who draws a unique design and then paints
the figures onto the cotton.
Sirichai began his studies thirteen years ago at the Teacher's
College under Adjaarn Chuchart.
"I remember Adjaarn Chuchart would work all night drawing
and sketching new designs for batik that he would present to his
classes the following day. His dedication inspired me to work hard,"
remembers Khun Sirichai.
 He
began selling batiks on the street and then went to the major local
hotels who agreed to buy his batiks and put them in their gift shops.
His stock included scarves, ties, skirts, sarongs, and blouses.
Soon he had so many clients that he rented a workshop and recruited
his fellow students to keep up with the demand for the brightly
colored fabric art.
Today Khun Chai operates a batik factory in Phang Nga province
that employs 20 workers in a small Muslim village. In addition,
he has ten workers at his shop in Phuket who paint the bright patterns
on cotton, silk, satin, rayon and hemp fabrics.
Khun Chai is happy to teach Phuket style batik to anyone who wants
to learn. He welcomes both visitors and residents to Phuket who
want to learn the art of batik to stop by his shop on Chao Fa Road,
located midway between Phuket Town and Chalong, and he will provide
free instruction.
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