Somluk Pantiboon

Pottery Artist, Doy Din Dang Pottery

Somluk Pantiboon is one of Thailand’s most respected ceramic artists, known for his deep commitment to craftsmanship, community, and nature. Somluk studied Industrial Design and later honed his pottery skills in Japan under the 13th-generation master Nakazato Tarouemon III in Karatsu. The Japanese influence—especially the quiet discipline of wabi-sabi aesthetics—became the foundation for his lifelong artistic philosophy.

In 1991, Somluk founded Doy Din Dang Pottery—literally “Red Clay Hill”—in the forests of Chiang Rai. What began as a small artisan studio has evolved into a creative campus where art, ecology, and community coexist. His stoneware pieces—bowls, vases, cups, and tea sets—are hand-thrown, wood-fired, and glazed using natural materials such as bamboo ash and rice husks. Each piece carries the spirit of the northern soil and the calm simplicity of rural life.

Beyond being an artist, Somluk is a mentor and social innovator. Doy Din Dang has become a living classroom where villagers and young artists learn to value local materials, develop professional skills, and pursue creative livelihoods. His approach demonstrates how traditional crafts can adapt to modern markets without losing authenticity.

Today, Doy Din Dang Pottery is both a destination and a philosophy—a place where travelers experience the process of creation, purchase meaningful crafts, and connect with the essence of Chiang Rai. Somluk’s life work embodies Thailand’s creative-economy spirit: design rooted in heritage, sustained by community, and open to the world.