‘Isan’, meaning the ‘northeast’ in Thai language, is an area compromising seventeen provinces and situated on the Khorat plateau. The Mekong River borders the whole region on its eastern and northern frontiers with the Lao Peoples’ Democratic Republic while the western and southern frontiers are marked by the mountains that rim the plateau. The region is more easily discussed if divided into three main areas: upper, lower and central Isan, the latter compromising an area south of Khon Kaen to Buri Ram in an east-west band and including the Mekhong River Basin.

Isan has a very long record of human habitation and was not always the arid area that it is today. Forty years ago forests abounded and natural resources for dyes were plentiful. Today the only natural dyes that are commonly found are indigo (indigofera tinctoria) which is planted annually, and lac which is created by an insect, neither of which require much water. The oldest known inhabitants (in the upper part) belonged to the Ban Chiang culture which is known to have exited around 3600 B.C. There is evidence of advanced cultural developments such as bronze making since 2700 B.C. and fabrication of cotton and hemp since 700 B.C. Pottery rollers have been found with traces of color pigment still attached to their carved surfaces, suggesting possible use as a textile printing mechanism. It is possible then that the prehistoric people of Ban Chiang were wearing or using printed textiles and that their culture had made contract with island southeast Asia, as seen in the exchange of design elements. The Ban Chiang culture had disappeared by the third century A.D. and little evidence of further cultures exists until the stone-carving people of the Dvaravadi period after the eight century. These people made carved boundary stones, some with Buddhist iconography, but none showing evidence of textile or garment use of the ordinary people. Costumes that appear in these carvings are of deities and characters from the stories of the lives of the Buddha who are dressed in Indian styles. It is likely that the Indianized states of Funan and Chenla had significant influence on their cultures since the first century A.D. but indigenous styles for textiles prevailed for the general population, the Indian styles being kept for the people of rank and status.

The three main styles that exist in Isan today are the Lao, the Phutai and the Khmer. These styles used to be designated by the ethnic group and it was possible not only to tell the ethnic origin of the costumes, but also distinguish financial and marriage status, and possibly village origin. The upper and central area s of Isan were once governed by the Kao of the Lan Xang Kingdom (1353-1707 A.D.). while the southern area was governed by the Khmer empire of Angkor (1050-1431 A.D.) and by the Siamese of Ayutthaya after that. Family ties still exist between the Lao on the west side of the Mekhong and the Isan people on the east banks. The Phutai groups settled in the central Isan area from Muang Sae Phon and other large towns (called Muang) in southern Laos.

The textiles of the upper area are mainly cotton with patterns in weft ikat (mudmee) and supplementary weft techniques. They are made by the Tai Lao and Lao Phuan who migrated from the Vientiane area and some minority Tai ethnic groups called Nyor, Yui, Kaleung and Sak and Mon Khmer groups called Kui, Brew and So who today weave textiles similar to the majority Lao groups and no evidence of their own styles remains. The people who migrated into the central and Mekhong River Basin area of Isan were Lao who came from Pakse and Savankhet were a long tradition of silk weaving existed. They brought their skills of silk ikat and supplementary weft (khit) weaving with them and it is in this area that King Rama V introduced advanced technology in the late 19^th century and today the finest silks for export are produced. Phutai people also came from Laos into the Kalasin, Mukdahan and Chanuman areas bringing with them their skills in silk supplementary warp weaving, weft ikat and their own styles of supplementary weft (khit). The lower area is populated by ethnic Khmer groups, specializing in silk weaving in twill weaves and three heddle weft ikats. Even though this is one of the poorest areas of Thailand today, the people wear silk to till the fields because the area is too dry to grow cotton and thus the silks are more economical, requiring only the leaves of the mulberry trees that are grown at home to feed the silk worms. The women weave on Khmer style looms which are different from the Lao standing looms seen in the upper and central Isan region. Lao people who live in this area live along the Mekhong River and weave silk textiles typical of the central Lao.

The types of textiles used in Isan in the past fall into the main categories of costume, household and ritual use. The costumes were specific to the ethnic groups and often indicated status as well as showing off the weavers’ skills. Women’s costumes were more elaborate than men’s and the ceremonial garments were particularly beautiful. Everyday dress was practical and often quite plain. Textiles made for ceremonial wear, however, were woven without giving consideration to expense or time, thus the resulting fabrics were of spectacular quality and complex in technique and design. Such ceremonies include weddings, temple ceremonies, funerals, formal occasions to meet high ranking officials, spirit appeasing ceremonies and the various Tai festivals that occur during the year. In the past, these were occasions on which the young women could display their weaving skills, particularly to possible suitors, as this was an important criteria of a good wife.