Thailand is famous not only for its seaside resorts and magnificent Buddhist temples. It is considered the kingdom of precious and ornamental stones – rubies, sapphires, chrysolites, garnets, spinel, onyx, jade, malachite and others.

The main deposits of stones are located in Thailand along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, in the eastern part of the country in the province of Sisak, on the border with Laos and near the border with Burma – in Kanchanaburi. The number of people who are involved in the extraction of stones currently reaches 300,000 people.

About 70% of all gems are mined in the Chanthaburi province on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. There are deposits of blue, purple, pink, yellow and green sapphires.

One of the most popular stones mined in Thailand is the ruby. Red rubies with a slight purple hue from Thailand are close in quality to Burmese, which are considered the world standard for color.

The shades of Thai zircons are very diverse and range from brown and black to yellow, green and red. There are colorless and smoky zircons. According to Buddhist traditions, zircon is considered a symbol of courage, honor and wisdom. Thais believe that this stone will always help in any difficult situation. Among the locals, the most popular are pastel blue zircons, which are the amulet of travelers. Thais say that it changes color when a thunderstorm approaches and protects from the bites of poisonous snakes.

The emerald is also surrounded by many beliefs. It is considered a talisman for mothers, it is advised to wear it for pregnant women. The darker the color of the stone, the stronger its properties.

There are pearl farms in Thailand. Some of them can be visited as part of tourist groups. Experts have more than 250 shades of Thai pearls, its distinctive features are a noticeable shine and a thick layer of mother-of-pearl.