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Monday, March 09, 2009

Mae Sot Gem Trade

Trying to get its sparkle back
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/12909/trying-to-get-its-sparkle-back

The market is teeming with Thais and foreigners shopping for gemstones at shops on both sides of Prasatvithi road in downtown Mae Sot. There are also a lot of gem brokers hired to buy and sell gemstones for profit on behalf of others. The brokers include Thais, Burmese and Nepalese. Gemstones on the market include uncut lumps of stone varying in size and price. The Rim Moei gem market in Mae Sot is also popular among shoppers and tourists. It is located near the Thai-Burmese Bridge in Ban Rim Moei in Tambon Sai Luad. The gem trade in Mae Sot is also linked to trade in Mae Sai in Chiang Rai and Chanthaburi. Many gem traders from Chanthaburi have moved and now run gem businesses in Mae Sot.
- Supamart Kasem, Bangkok Post

The gem markets in Bangkok, Chantaburi, Mae Sot are very quiet. Customers are very few and many are going out of business due to economic crisis.

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