Skilled artists adorn delicate umbrellas and fans, made of fine silk and paper, with intricate and colorful designs. These hand items are available in local markets, and people frequently purchase them for decoration and actual use.
Chinese, Vietnamese and Burmese pottery influenced Thai ceramic styles beginning in the 14th century. For centuries afterward, Thai ceramics and pottery were popular overseas and successfully exported for the benefit of local communities. Presently, craftsmen use similar techniques to give their pieces the unique Thai patterns and designs still popular today.
Mural paintings, with colorful and vivid imagery, adorn the inner walls of Buddhist temples. These paintings were used as teaching aids for Buddhist philosophy, and were a source of knowledge for Buddhist practitioners. Thus, mural paintings are difficult to understand without extensive knowledge of Buddhism and Thailand.
About 90 percent of the Thai population practices Buddhism (as of September, 2010). Thus you can find Buddhist statues and sculptures in most shops, craft markets, art galleries, and temples. Made of stone metal, or clay these detailed pieces of art are important to the Thai people.