Gallerist Achariyar Rojanapirom on the Chiang Mai Creatives to Have on Your Radar

While Bangkok makes the most noise with its splashy hotel arrivals and Michelin-starred restaurants, the creative thrum of Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northern cultural capital, is gradually turning up the volume. With the just-opened Kalm Village, a craft-focused concept store, gallery, and community space in the moated Old City, co-founder and creative director Achariyar Rojanapirom aims to pin Chiang Mai even firmer onto the global art map.

Tell Us More About Kalm Village

Growing up, my brother and I were surrounded by our mother’s extensive collection of traditional crafts and heard the incredible stories behind them. Our family is from Chiang Mai, and we wanted to create a space to preserve these ancestral crafts and the knowledge they hold. Kalm is a contemporary setting where people from all backgrounds can learn about the importance of these skills. We highlight designers with rotating exhibitions, as well as a large permanent display of wickerwork, woodwork, textiles, and pottery.

What Excites You About Chiang Mai’s Creative Scene?

It is rooted in history. The city was part of the 700-year-old Lanna kingdom, with its own culture, dialect, and crafts, which now serve as inspiration for its creatives. There’s an effort to preserve artisan communities and emerging artists draw on classic techniques to create their work. There are many hidden talents here – skilled masters as well as a new generation that is keeping these crafts alive. Moreover, the surrounding mountains offer an abundance of resources, not just materials, but a wonderful environment to live and work in.

Who Are the City’s Designers to Watch?

Moonler is a furniture brand working specifically with raintree wood, which is plentiful here in Northern Thailand. It collaborates with local and international designers to produce beautiful high-quality collections. Additionally, my friend Robert Sukrachand, who is based between Chiang Mai and New York, works with craftspeople around the country to create wonderful pieces. He recently completed a project with brass-bell artisans in Ban Pa Ao, employing a traditional wax-coiling technique that is unique to the village. Furthermore, Arnan Ratchawang-inn, a long-time family friend, has developed a unique contemporary style filled with Buddhist symbolism that conveys faith, peace, purity, and light. He lives and works in a serene studio in the Doi Saket district, where visitors can come to experience his work firsthand.

Where to Shop in Chiang Mai?

I always recommend visiting Charoen Rajd Road in the Wat Ket Karam area. This location is filled with lovely local art and crafts stores, along with some of the most interesting architecture in Chiang Mai. I frequently go to Sop Moei Arts, Nussara, and Fai Sor Kam. If you’re here before noon, be sure to try the steamed rice dumplings right in front of the temple and save room for the most delicious coconut-cream pie at Baan Piemsuk café.

Describe Your Perfect Day in Chiang Mai

I love to start the day with a dirty coffee from our café at Kalm; it’s a coffee style that originated from Tokyo – very creamy but strong in flavor. If the weather’s suitable, I’d head up to Mae Kuang Dam for a picnic with a view and a nap. It doesn’t have an official closing time, allowing you to stay for the sunset and watch the stars. If I’m back in the center for lunch, I usually bike to Nam Ngiew Loong Pong for northern-style khanom jeen (rice noodles). This beloved spot is run by an elderly couple who have been cooking this dish for 30 years – they only make two pots a day, so arriving before 1 p.m. is crucial.

For dinner, my favorite restaurant is Khum Vieng Yong, which serves truly comforting food. Be sure to try the seasonal khua hed thob (stir-fried local mushrooms). Following dinner, I enjoy heading to Sudsanan Bar for beers, local liquor, and live music, or Sanmai Bar for cocktails and a lively atmosphere.

What Is Your Favourite Day Trip Out of the City?

I always try to carve out time to visit my house on Pong Khrai mountain, where my family has been part of the community for decades. The nature here is untouched, and the locals are incredibly welcoming, known for their efforts to preserve rare species of wild orchids. It’s a wonderful place to embrace a slower pace of life and experience mountain living. Visiting in the winter is particularly lovely, allowing you to witness fog drifting over the peaks at sunrise. When you’re in the area, consider staying at the cozy Baan Suan Klang Doi, a B&B run by a friendly local family.