Our trip out to the Andaman Cultural Center to visit the Andaman Bead Museum, was fun, albeit a bit sweaty. I have been there a handful of times on various occasions, but I still find it fascinating.
Even though there was nothing new in the museum itself, I did get a surprising first time experience when exploring the rest of the establishment..
As I mentioned in my post about the ancient bead trade, any genuine beads dug up and verified automatically become property of the Thai Government. Protecting these artifacts is a matter of national security as they are considered national treasures.
They are very valuable and can fetch a high price on the black market.. therefore it is not uncommon to see multitudes of counterfeit beads being peddled under the table. Some traders go as far as weathering the fake beads, throwing them with rocks and sand in a laundry machine, or tumbling them around in a tin can, or using a sander to give them a look of wear and tear.
Said beads maybe smuggled into dig sites and buried, and then an illegal excavation tour will be sold to unwitting tourists at a premium.
Since the market is so high, and selling genuine ancient beads is illegal, it seems like there is no way an honest buyer can get their hands on a piece of culture like this..
but there is a way..
The Andaman Cultural Center is dedicated to restoring the market for Thai beads. They recreate and sell replicas of the ancient artifacts! Their hope is to restore a cultural interest in the jewelry and promote it to locals and tourists alike as an integral part of Thai heritage.
Right now all the recreations are done by hand, painstakingly crafted to look like the original beads, down to the finest detail. It is a time consuming process and each bead is made individually, so you can expect to pay handsomely if you wish to acquire one of these bad boys.
While I didn't spring for one myself, I was pleasantly to surprised to find out that this was something that actually existed. It was amazing to stumble upon the the Thai artisans working on their craft. I am honored that they allowed me to take pictures and ask questions.
If you have a love of anything Art, Culture, or History, you might want to make a special purchase at the Krabi's Cultural Center and support those who are hard at work trying to keep this piece of Thai heritage alive.