Local Guide

Located just to the east of Chiang Mai city, the village of Bo Sang (also written as Borsang) is famous for producing hand-made bamboo umbrellas and parasols. It’s a long-standing tradition.

HISTORY OF UMBRELLAS IN BO SANG
According to folklore, Bo Sang owes its umbrella heritage to a local monk, ‘Phra Inthaa’. The dates are vague, but an inscription on a statue of the monk in Bo Sang says he lived ‘hundreds of years ago. Bo Sang and the Chiang Mai area have an association with Burma that dates back to the days of the Lanna Kingdom which included large areas of northern Thailand and Burma. As was common at that time, monks would embark on long journeys to other monasteries to study or to teach. On one such trip to Burma, Phra Inthaa was given a hand-made paper umbrella to protect him from the sun. The monk then visited the village where the umbrella was made and realised Bo Sang had access to the bamboo and other materials required to make the umbrellas. The holy man recognised that this could be a way for farmers in his home village to work and supplement their income during the post-harvest season. With this in mind, he spent time carefully educating himself about the techniques and skills involved in making the umbrellas.

BAMBOO AND SA PAPER

Traditionally, the Bo Sang umbrellas are made from bamboo and sa paper which are both sourced locally with the sa paper coming from the bark of the paper mulberry tree. In addition to the traditional designs, Bo Sang now produces a range of umbrellas made from a variety of materials including canvas, cotton, rayon, and silk.