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Lamduan Chaiwan

"My name is Lamduan Chaiwan. I was born on August 10, 1950. My parents' main source of income was farming but my father was also a skilled carver of teak elephants. Of course my parents did their best to feed us and give us a good education but, because we were 13 brothers and sisters, this was quite difficult. As the eldest, I felt obligated to drop out of school and work to allow the youngest to study. But I am not complaining and am not a martyr, because everyone helped anyway. My parents are now gone, but thinking of them reminds me that we were such a warm family. My husband and I gave birth to one son and one daughter, who are now grownups, with bachelor degrees and are married, and I am even a grandmother. I want my children to be happy, successful and healthy, but to know right from wrong. For them to get rich is fine, but neither to be obsessed with it, nor to cheat to get there.

"We started to deal in teak and rain tree wood products 27 years ago. But this was very hard work and our workers increasingly drank alcohol, which of course resulted in increased accidents. Taxes were also hefty, so we decided to wind up this business and work on a more family-level, quiet business at home. It wasn't long afterward that we started to do modeled wood composition sculptures. It worked well and we opened a small shop ten years ago. At the time we did everything, from gathering raw materials to placing the last coat of wax, but today we give some of the job to our neighbors, so that they can also have some work. At the shop, a couple of students come and help us part time to earn some money. This is good because they can experience work and study at the same time. In the future they would be able to get a job, regardless of their degrees. We are a friendly people and we like to help each other, to eat and feast together.

"I like my job very much. The colors fascinate me and the crafting process taught me patience and quietness. We spend much time on the products so the prices are higher than similar products you could find elsewhere, but so is our quality. I would like to warn you that this is a very handmade craft, that the materials are natural and that we have a very artistic spirit, so no two pieces will be similar!

"So I dropped out of school in the third grade, but studied again many years later on the weekends. My friends gently made fun of me, wondering if I wasn't ashamed to go and learn with kids, but no! It didn't bother me in the least, for I simply wanted to study. I ended with a twelfth grade level. Now I try and learn English – I listen to tapes, practice a little with the customers, but it's difficult and I often misunderstand what I am told. I keep on learning though. I can say that everything overall has improved in my personal life. I acquired more knowledge; I am wiser, more mature and richer on a personal level. My dreams are to keep on improving my surroundings and myself, to live healthily, with no stress. Perhaps to travel within Thailand, to quiet and cool places… waterfalls… shady areas… forests… temples."