HISTORY OF CHANTHABURI – PART 1

The small town of Chanthaburi, nestled in southeastern Thailand on the border with Cambodia, is undisputedly the center of the world’s gemstone trade. Although the Mahesak area in Bangkok is seen by many as the center of Thailand’s gemstone district, the real footwork is done 4 hours bus ride to the southeast.

Chanthaburi, a name derived from Sanskrit and literally means city of the moon, has long been a center for the trade of gemstones. As early as the 14th century, Chinese travelers wrote of Chanthaburi as a gem market where brightly colored gems were bought and sold. In these early days, much of the gemstones which were sold in Chanthaburi were mined locally. Ruby and sapphire mines were scattered around the city, and by the 18th century were producing fine rubies and sapphires in addition to black star sapphires. These Chanthaburi gems formed the foundation of the Chanthaburi gemstone market.

The first country which began to bring its gemstones to sell in Chanthaburi on a large scale was Cambodia. The mines of Pailin, just over the border from Chanthaburi, produced large amounts of quality blue sapphire in addition to ruby, yellow sapphires, zircon, and garnet. These were then brought to what had become the largest gem market in the region.

Soon the Burmese would follow, with Shan traders from Mogok bringing their gemstones to sell in Chanthaburi. These Shan traders, in addition, brought more effective mining techniques which they had over time developed in Mogok, thus increasing the quantity of rubies and blue sapphires produced in the area and increasing an already growing gemstone market.