Yan lipao is the aristocrat of Thai basketry. The fern vine has to be split into hair-fine strands and woven so tightly the surface turns glossy, and in Nakhon Si Thammarat it was once the material of gifts to royalty. Only a shrinking number of small workshops still work it at this level.

This shoulder bag is a small architecture — a structured body that holds its shape, finished with a brass clasp and a strap sized for the shoulder. Look closely and you can count the strands; there are more of them than seems possible for the size.

A fine yan lipao piece can take weeks, hand-woven to order in Nakhon Si Thammarat — allow 3–4 weeks, sometimes longer. It is the kind of object that gets handed down.

Keep it dry, wipe with a soft cloth, and store away from direct heat so the vine keeps its sheen.