Jewels from the palace

 The Support Foundation of Her Majesty the Queen is holding its fifth "Arts of the Kingdom" exhibition to showcase the distinguished works produced at the Support training centre in Chitralada Palace.

 Her Majesty will preside over events on Tuesday at 6pm at the Dusit Palace's Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall where the exhibition will be open to the public from Wednesday to January 13.

 Thanpuying Supornphen Luangthep, the Queen's deputy private secretary, revealed that as well as the handicrafts and arts from previous years, 10 new masterpieces specially created for this year's event will be on display. Among the 10 are the golden Pudtan throne, the golden royal palanquin, a model of the Royal Barge Sri Suphannahongse, a cloth partition screen embroidered with mythical scenes from the Himavanta Sutra, a carved wood partition screen, a painted partition screen, decorative metallic wood-boring beetle' wings and a wood carving of the half-dragon, half-horse Ma Nin Mangkorn adorned with precious stones.

 The exhibition highlights are the four exquisite works of art on loan from the collection of Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Two of the four are reproductions of the Lord Buddha's footprint - in gold nielloware and silver/gold - while the third is the miniature Phra Mahajanaka golden junk.

 The fourth is an intricate khram damascene inlay depicting the Phra Dharmachakra, or wheel of law. All were created last year at the Support workshops in honour of the Emerald Buddha.

 Besides the works on display, 81 fine pieces created by the Support's artisans were auctioned yesterday at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. Among them were vases in silver and gold nielloware, evening bags and lipao handbags. Standing out for its beauty was a praewa silk shawl finely embroidered with semi-precious stones.

 "We want to showcase the sophisticated skills of the artisans, most of whom are from farming families. The money raised from the auction will go to improve the quality of life for farmers nationwide," said Chiraya Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, the grand chamberlain and treasurer of the Support foundation.

 Running parallel with the exhibition is a product fair at Suan Amporn's new and old halls. Items from the foundation that will be offered for sale include mudmee and praewa silk, hilltribe fabrics, hand-woven cottons, ready-to-wear silk and cotton clothing, paintings, tapestries, lipao handbags, krajood (sedge) mats, woven-bamboo handicrafts, pottery, woodcraft and silk flowers.

 Produce from the farms of the Royal Project will also be available to buy including Jin Hua ham, Yi Liang smoked duck, several kinds of rice as well as organically grown fruits and vegetables.

 Moreover, the Support's training centre has joined hands with the Thailand Post and gained Royal permission for a special set of postage stamps to be offered for sale at the exhibition. The set features images of the Busabok Mala Grand Throne, Sappagab Phragajatarn Howdah, and the Suphannahongse and Anantanakharaj Royal Barges.

 Entrance fee for the exhibition is Bt100 for members of the general public and Bt50 for students in uniform. Visitors are requested to dress appropriately, women in dresses, long skirts or Thai-style sarongs. Photography is not permitted.