Phuang Malai

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Phuang Malai are a Thai form of floral garland. Flower arranging became increasing popular during the reign of King Rama V. The ladies of the Court spent many hours in arranging flowers. Each lady taught her own designs to her ladies-in-waiting, and to the young girls who lived in the palace and received their "finishing school" education under the patronage of the Royal ladies. Until recent years, vendors usually sat in front of the entrance of the market, and some vendors travelled up and down the lanes in Bangkok and other large cities, balancing a woven tray filled with filled with colorful garlands on top of their heads. Calling "Phuang Malai, Phuang Malai" as they went, one needed to go only to her/his front gate to buy the fresh garlands. A lovely new garland would be given to the spirit house or to be placed reverently at the base of the Buddha images in the family shrine.

The most common way of making "Phuang Malai" is by threading the variety of petals and flowers on a cord with the use of a huge needle. Garlands can vary widely in design as the whims of the "manufacturers" cause them to mix and match both colours and flowers.