The kilns of Kalong surround the ancient earthen fortifications of Wiang Kalong, in the hills and valleys that lie between the River Lao and the River Wang. They are situated half way between Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. No serious excavation has been carried out, but there are probably several hundred brick or slab in-ground kilns, each about four meters in length. Kalong wares have been found at habitation sites throughout the old Kingdom of Lanna and in the Tak hilltop burial sites. They are not known to have been exported.

No firm dating has been made, but, in common with other Thai glazed ceramics, production was almost certainly between about 1350 AD and 1550 AD. In the absence of any controlled archaeological research, it is not possible to say which wares were early and which late.

In her book ‘History of Lan Na’ Sarassawadee Ongsakul, quotes from a Nan Chronicle which says that in 1365 A.D. Phraya Kuena of Lan Na rejected a demand for the customary tribute from the Ho of Yunnan. Among the items asked for were 1,000 dishes of chaesak ceramics, 500 with designs, 200 green and 300 white. Historians believe that chaesak was Vieng Pa Pao (Vieng Kalong).

Some ninety percent of the known pieces are what I have called classic wares, they seem to have been produced throughout the complex except at Wang Nua - kilns that some seek to separate from other Kalong kilns.

We first visited Kalong in 1976, Northern Thai Ceramics was published in 1981, revised and updated in 1989. Since then until now (December 2007)little more has been learned.

Small updraft kilns have been found at Tung Man.

Khun Tan, who runs a small kiln making excellent Kalong reproductions, reports a great number of kilns, all buried under some two meters of soil, in a forested area between Huay Sai and Tung Hua. Most of the kilns have been destroyed by looters.

Thousands more black and white sherds have been found with extraordinary designs - phoenix,chinchoks,human faces,singtos,etc. Also some perfect, or near perfect, pieces.