Thailand has a great reputation for its Silver jewelry and is well known as a hub for fine handcrafted and authentic designs, with a wide variety of plating and textures. Thailand’s Silver jewellery production goes back at least two centuries, with Silver being discovered in the northern mountainous regions close to the borders of Burma and Lao.

However, Thai’s themselves very rarely wear silver and are much fonder of jewellery in gold, due to the value element. So even though the Silver industry is flourishing in Thailand, it’s the foreign markets that have become the driving force behind it.  For this reason the majority of the silver jewelry ‘market areas’ are to be found in the more international friendly tourist areas of Bangkok, including; Khao san Road, New Road, Charrone Krung Road, Silom Road, the Kokwua junction and the Rajdumneon Road areas of the city.

Of course most of the shops you see on these roads are wholesalers or “Showrooms”, and not the actual factories to get the ‘direct from factory prices’ you may want. The MOQ in most of these shops can start from 1 and prices are also pretty low. You can buy large quantities, ask to ship via air freight later or pay the VAT and take away with you, as they most likely have the stock available to hand. I would strongly suggest though that you use shops that have been recommended or that you have used before, some places in these areas, have stamped the items 925, but it’s later been found to be German silver.

Most of these wholesale shops will have deals with factories all over Thailand and even China. They are quick, easy and cheap to pick up items such as studs and hoops, to take away back on the plane to wherever.

Of course if you want factory prices, then you can find the factory’s by searching google and or attending the bi-annual Bangkok Gems and Jewellery show, in February and September. Most of the Bangkok factories will have a stand and are usually a specialist in their own style of jewelry. While one factory may be good at plain silver production, another is good at the oxidized texture, etc. Buying from these factories isn’t difficult, but they normally don’t have stock and are made to order. Your items are normally then shipped after 4 weeks, with an ex-factory invoice attached. The MOQ for these guys will normally be starting from 50+.

The good thing about contacting the factories direct is that they normally have a design team and they can produce customer own designs, at a much reduced cost then what you could get in the “western” world. Thailand has some amazing craftsmen and women, working within the jewellery industry and no matter what it is you are looking for in Silver Jewellery, Thailand is sure to have it.

Faze-Five is an international renowned manufacturer of 925 Sterling Silver and light weight 9k gold jewelry. Supplying to the wholesale and retail markets, established in Bangkok, Thailand