Our Story
A workshop built
on patience and care.
Phaya has been tending to watches in Chiang Mai since 2009. Every piece that arrives is treated as if it were the most important in the room — because to its owner, it often is.
Back to HomeOur History
How Phaya came to be
Phaya opened in 2009 on Loi Kroh Road, a quiet stretch of Chang Khlan where traditional craft still finds space beside the new. The name — drawn from an old Thai word suggesting a calm, protective presence — reflects what the workshop aims to be for the watches brought to it.
The founder, Niran Suwanprasert, trained in mechanical horology in Switzerland before returning to Chiang Mai with a simple idea: that watches deserve the same thoughtful attention in Thailand that they receive anywhere else in the world. Not faster, not flashier — just careful.
Over the years the workshop has grown to include two additional watchmakers, each with particular strengths — one in vintage Swiss calibres, another in Japanese automatic movements. The approach has stayed the same: look at the watch, tell the owner what it needs, do the work as described.
Our Mission
What we are here to do
We are here to make watch repair accessible and honest in northern Thailand. That means clear pricing before work starts, timelines that we actually keep, and conversations that are open rather than one-directional.
We believe a watch is rarely just a watch. It marks time — of a person's life, of a family's memory. Our work is to extend that time, quietly and without drama.
We are not the biggest workshop in Chiang Mai. We handle a manageable number of pieces so that each one gets the attention it deserves.
The Team
The people behind the work
Niran Suwanprasert
Founder & Head Watchmaker
Trained in Switzerland, Niran has worked with mechanical movements for over twenty years. His particular focus is in restoration and conservation of significant timepieces.
Pranee Thongkam
Senior Watchmaker
Pranee specialises in vintage Swiss calibres, with a methodical approach to diagnosis that has become central to how the workshop assesses complicated pieces.
Krit Charoenwong
Watchmaker
Krit handles automatic servicing with a focus on Japanese movements. He also manages quartz and battery work, keeping the workshop's turnaround times honest.
Standards
How we work
A set of practices that govern every watch that comes through our door, regardless of value or complexity.
Assessment Before Action
No work begins without a full assessment. We tell you what the watch needs, what it will cost, and how long it will take — before we touch it.
Quality Lubricants & Parts
We use Swiss-standard lubricants suited to each movement type. Parts are sourced new or new-old-stock, and we discuss options with you for restoration pieces.
Timing & Regulation Testing
Every serviced automatic movement is tested on a timing machine across multiple positions and regulated before return.
Written Records
Restoration pieces receive a written record of what was found, what was done, and what was kept. You receive a copy with the watch.
Respectful Handling
Watches are stored securely while in our care. Dials, cases, and straps are protected throughout. Nothing is discarded without your knowledge.
Client Privacy
Your contact details and service history are held confidentially and used only for workshop communication. We do not share customer information.
About our craft
Watch repair in Chiang Mai — what this work involves
Mechanical watchmaking draws on a discipline that has changed less over two centuries than most people expect. A pocket watch made in Geneva in 1920 and an automatic diver from the 1980s share the same fundamental logic: a mainspring, a gear train, a balance wheel oscillating at a fixed rate to divide time into equal portions. What differs is the refinement, the tolerances, and the lubricants they need.
Quartz movements are simpler in their mechanics but demand their own care — contacts corroded by battery leakage, crystals worn by years of daily wear, seals that no longer hold. A battery replacement done without cleaning the contacts and checking the seals is a service that may need repeating sooner than it should.
Restoration work is something else again. A watch brought to us for conservation may have been worn by the same person for forty years, or passed down and held in a drawer. Our task is to understand what the owner values about it and to work within those values. Sometimes that means polishing nothing. Sometimes it means a full case refinish. We discuss every decision before it is made.
Northern Thailand has a growing community of watch collectors and enthusiasts, and Chiang Mai's pace of life suits the craft well. The city also attracts visitors from across Southeast Asia and beyond who bring watches that need attention. We are glad to help, whether the stay is short or long.
Ready to bring your watch in?
We are easy to reach and happy to answer questions before you commit to anything.
Get in Touch