Ceramic art is still being produced in Thailand even today. However, this art form was at its peak during the Sukhothai kingdom's reign and is called Sukhothai wares by archaeologists and collectors.

Even today, you can find the kiln sites of Sukhothai wares outside the northern walls of the ancient city Sukhothai and Sri Satchanalai. Those of you who are interested in pottery and ceramics can visit the open air museum, which can be found just a few kilometers northwest of the Sri Satchanalai site, and you will be able to see an original kiln which was used in ancient times to produce ceramic wares.

It is believed that Sukhothai ceramic production began in the 13th century after the decline of Khmer ceramics. It was only in the 15th century that these ceramics became popular trade articles once the Chinese ceramic industry started declining. Sukhothai ceramic wares were exported during that time to different countries and even today one can find them in countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. However, in the 16th century the production declined and this can be attributed to the wars that were fought between Ayudhaya and Burma (now known as Myanmar), and resurgence of Chinese ceramic industry.

The most attractive pieces of Sukhothai ceramics are unfortunately in the hands of private collectors. This could be because ceramics were not highly valued not so long ago. Most of the private collectors got their collections from buying them cheaply from the locals or collecting the pieces themselves from the sites.

However, if you are interested in seeing ancient ceramic wares, the best place to go is Wang Suan Pakkad on Sri Ayudhaya Road in Bangkok.