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Detail of a mural painting in Wat Rajapradit (1864), Bangkok, shows houses along the Chao Phraya River.

The Classic Thai House

Many would argue that the most enduring icon of Thai style and design is the traditional Thai house. With its raised platform on stilts, triangular shape and steep gab led roof descending from an elongated pinnacle in to curved, flame-shaped eaves, this sinuous silhouette rising from a tropical landscape is a sublime image. The structure developed directly from the needs of an agricultural community that had to adapt to a hot, tropical environment subject to seasonal flooding. Rooted in a centuries-old agrarian culture, what is recognized as the classic Thai house today is surprisingly little changed from its original form dating back to the first settlements along the river deltas of old Siam. This tenacity of form can be attributed to the singular principle governing the structure of the Thai house: that form follows function.

Ironically, it was the American architect Louis Henri Sullivan who originated this dictum that went on to inspire a generation of fin-de-siecle American and European architects in search of modern forms. In the early 20th century, Sullivan advocated that modern architecture should try to integrate ornamentation into the design of the building itself rather than be applied as mere external decoration. He pioneered a new school in western architecture that broke away from historic trappings and the external ornamentation that marked the buildings of his predecessors. A few decades on, in the mid 20th century, Swiss architect Le Corbusier conceived the notion of the home as a 'machine for living'. His breakthrough recipe for the International Style included, among other features, buildings raised off the ground level on stilts to encourage greater airflow, a free-flowing floor plan, and a roof garden used for social activities-three features that are the defining characteristics of the traditional Thai house.

Thus, if one were to analyse the traditional Thai form within a world view of architectural history, the classic Thai house, though extant for centuries, can be viewed as thoroughly 'modern' in its embodiment of the structural theories dictated by two visionaries of early western modernism. From this perspective, it is ironic that the recent decades of Thai economic boom have resulted in the number of traditional Thai houses dwindling; rapid modernization, diminishing timber resources and a hunger for western forms are the main reasons for its demise. Modern Thais are eager to shake off their past as an agricultural society and embrace cement houses and high-rise living as epitomized by the West.

Thai communities were traditionally located along water-ways, thus many houses were either built on stilts or actually floating in the water. The floating houses generally consisted of twin houses that served as both a home and a shop. The living quarters were located in the back, while the open-fronted unit in the front was used as a shop where goods were displayed and sold. These floating houses lined the rivers wherever settlements existed, and could be moved around if needed. These days floating houses have vanished from Bangkok's riverbanks, but can still be found deep in the countryside. Similarly, there are still examples of traditional houses used as residences in the provinces, and some in Bangkok, though the latter are usually preserved as museums and palaces. Less common are Thai-style contemporary residences in Bangkok; the ones that do exist are usually constructed from a number of single-room houses-transported from another province and reassembled in the city to form a large cluster house.

Houses built in this manner embody the key characteristic of a traditional Thai house-namely transportability. Built entirely of wood, the walls, doors, windows and gables consist of separate wood panels which are fitted together using wooden joints held in place by wooden pegs. No nails are used, thus the entire structure can be taken apart and easily reassembled. The word traditionally used in Thai for house building is prung, meaning 'assemble'. Thus the house can be quickly assembled or dismantled and moved from site to site.

The severe, yet elegant lines of this house exemplify the geometric precision that governs the rules of proportion in Thai houses. When well-crafted, the result is a perfection of symmetry and form as seen in this stunning example, a reconstructed house located in Ayutthaya and open to the public.

In contrast to the magnificent scale of the red palace that was built to commemorate King Rama II's birthplace (see opposite), his actual home, shown here, seems modest in comparison. This house was his residence before he ascended the throne, and was later donated to Wat Rakang in Thonburi, for use as a library. In the 1980s it underwent a restoration, with the aid of noted painter Fua Horapitak.

Thai houses differ in the north and south, but the style considered to be the classic one is that of the central plains, where Thailand's kingdoms of Ayutthaya, Sukhothai and Bangkok are located and therefore where the Thais reached the height of their culture and power. There are five basic elements of a traditional Thai house: stilts, inward sloping walls, high gables sloping downward into long projecting eaves, a large raised verandah connecting the separate rooms, and extendable rooms. The open space beneath the house serves a number of practical functions, such as providing structural resistance to inclement weather, respite from seasonal flooding, protection from wild animals, ventilation and a shady space to work and store farm tools and the Thai country cart or kwien. During the flood season, the space becomes a place to moor boats. In the southern coastal settlements the houses are built on tall stilts, but the stilts become progressively shorter as one travels northwards and into the mountains.

The distinctive inward sloping walls serve a structural function and are a result of the local environment. In order to cope with seasonal floods, the dwellings had to either float or stand on stilts. Exposure to heavy flooding and strong winds meant that the stilts had to be high and braced, hence the triangulated structure. In the central plains, where there is mildinl and flooding, the stilts and structural frames slope inwards, giving the house the stability and structural reinforcement it needs. The high gable extends the height of the room for heat convection, while the long projecting eaves protect the house from heavy monsoon rains. The partially-covered chan-ban verandah is a huge platform on stilts. It connects the bedroom units and provides a communal living area for the inhabitants. The covered parts are used for day-to-day social activities, and the uncovered space is used for ceremonies, feasts, drying food and growing plants. The house breathes through the spaces in its floors, wall panels and gables and, since the bedrooms are separate units, it can obtain ventilation from any direction.

The Rama II Memorial House was built as a museum to commemorate the birthplace of King Rama II, an accomplished poet, artist, and patron of Thai classical dance. The most striking aspect of this house is its enormous scale, befitting its status as a memorial to a king. Built as a museum rather than a dwelling, the main building is a cluster house consisting of three large units comprising an antiques gallery, a bedroom gallery, and a sitting room gallery displaying antique Thai decorative objects and furnishings.

Once crowding the waterways of Bangkok, floating houses are now rare, glimpsed only occasionally in the deep countryside. This one is a typical floating shop house, consisting of two rooms with the shop located in front and the living quarters in the rear.

Almost every Thai house has a spirit house on its property, to house the spirit of the land that protects the home and its occupants. Daily offerings are made in the form of food and flowers.

There are many variations of this classic house style, ranging in size from a single-family house to a cluster house. The smaller house consists only of a bedroom and a kitchen, while the cluster house may have up to five or six bedrooms arranged around the chan-ban verandah. In the traditional extended family system in old Siam, additional bedrooms were added as the family size increased; the verandah platform is extendable and some houses became longer as more living units were added on. Traditionally, the groom left his family home to join the bride's family, so often he would remove his room from his parents' house and take it with him to add to his new bride's home.

Due to the complex social system of heirarchy based on age and seniority, rooms are sometimes placed at different heights or levels on the verandah platform. The owner's room is always located in the most important place and usually at the highest level. The levels may vary only slightly, but the distinction represents the social hierarchy of space so characteristic of Thai architecture. From a structural perspective as well, this arrangement also allows breezes to pass underneath the house and through the spaces in the floor levels. The entrance staircase to a Thai house traditionally faces the canal or river, though today with the disappearance of waterway thoroughfares, entrances now usually face the driveway, or may overlook a pond for dramatic effect. Typically the entrance consists of stairways leading up to one or two platform levels, a purely functional feature created to accommodate both low and high floods. These are usually roofed to form a small pavilion, so they can be used for receptions or social gatherings. In poorer homes this entrance is limited to a simple flight of stairs. The orientation of the house is usually lengthwise, in an east-west direction, to avoid the direct rays of the sun and to benefit from the prevailing southerly winds.

As in other South east Asian cultures, the Thais traditionally rested, sat and ate on the floor, which was kept meticulously clean, accounting for the custom of removing the shoes when entering a Thai home. Thai houses traditionally contained very little furniture. Instead, the inhabitants used numerous reed mats on the floor for sleeping or sitting. In richer families, the furnishings consisted of low beds and tables with curved Chinese-style legs (tang), or a low dressing table. The bedroom sometimes contained a cupboard or chest to store clothes. The typical kitchen contained a charcoal stove and a screened cupboard for storing food and utensils.

Chan-ban verandahs in large, well-to-do houses are typically surrounded by a balustrade to provide security for the inhabitants. In the Rama II Memorial house, this balustrade takes the form of a high wall incorporating bars that enable cooling breezes to pass through.

Typically, classic Thai houses are made entirely of wooden panels, in order to facilitate quick dismantling, transporting and rebuilding in another location.

The plain, shingled walls and simple squat roofs seen here characterize typical Isaan style houses of the northeast. The woman in the foreground is spinning Thai silk, a traditional product of this region.

Kamthieng House, the Thai house museum at the Siam Society, is one of the few examples of northern Thai houses in Bangkok. The lintel on top of the door indicates the entrance to what was once the owner's bedroom.

A northern house lintel with floral motifs. The magic spirit that resides in this lintel is believed to protect the fertility of the couple that sleeps within the room.

Though the Central Plains house is considered the classic Thai house style, the northern Thai house has a distinctive form with three key features that distinguish it from that of the Central Plains. The most visible of these is the V-shaped design called the kalae that caps the apex of the roof gable. The exact origins of the kalae remain obscure, but the name has been translated as 'glancing crows'. In some houses, the kalae is carved in a manner that resembles the wings of a bird in flight. It is also believed by some that the kalae symbolizes a pair of buffalo horns. Generally, kalae are found only in upper-class houses, and the design may be derived from the ancient practice of placing buffalo horns on top of the roof to indicate the wealth of the inhabitants. Kalae carvings range from simple to ornate, and in more prosperous homes, their elaborate renderings can resemble feathers or flickering flames.

Outward sloping walls are the next visible characteristic of northern houses, and the third characteristic is the carved lintel above the owner's bedroom door. Called ham yon, which means 'magic testicles' in ancient northern language, the lintel indicates the bedroom's symbolism as the core of the household. The size of the lintel always corresponds to the length of the owner's foot. Before the lintel is carved, the homeowner must perform a ceremony inviting magical power to enter the lintel, thus ensuring the fertility of the couple. The designs on the lintel are usually floral, geometric or cloud motifs.

Instead of the steep gabled roofs of Central Thai houses, the roofs of northern houses are topped with V-shaped carvings called kalae. The origins of this design remain obscure, but there are three main types: the first is an extension of the bargeboards (as here), the second makes use of wider planks of wood which were carved into a triple curve, and the third style is an attachment in the form of an X, rather than an extension.

Traditionally, house-building was an event accompanied by numerous rites and rituals that involved the participation of the whole community. Astrologers and monks were consulted and various ceremonies performed. Also, Thais believe that if a house is suitable for humans, it is also suitable for the spirits of the land, so every household sets aside a corner in the compound for a spirit house where the guardian spirit is invited to live. Thus through the house, the building rituals and the miniature spirit house, the owner of the traditional Thai house was linked to both his community and the spirits of the land.

M.R. Kukrit Pramoj Home

M.R. Kukrit was a keen amateur botanist. The chan-ban verandah displays a famed collection of Thai miniature trees known as mai dat.

The residence of former Thai Prime Minister M.R. Kukrit Pramoj, though now open to the public as a museum, is notable in that up until 1995 it was the home of a living person and, as such, represented the way of life of upper class Thai society that has all but died out today. The house stands on a 6,700 sq-m (two-acre) site that was once a mango orchard, but now lies in the heart of what has become Bangkok's business and financial district.

The residence is comprised of five separate single-room teak houses from the central plains of Thailand, three of which are over 100 years old, all connected on the raised chan-ban verandah, with an open living space underneath. M.R. Kukrit brought these houses from separate locations at different times, and in the tradition of Thai architecture, had them dismantled, transported, and reassembled in their present location. The first house was acquired in 1960 and the house building process took 20 years to reach its present state of perfection. Each of the five single houses that comprises the upper rooms had specific functions: they include an official reception room, a small private sitting room, a family shrine, a library and the bedroom. The ground-floor space was used as the in formal living and dining area, and also contains a meeting room.

M.R. Kukrit directed the building layout himself, and lived according to the old Thai way of life, but with some allowances for modern conveniences such as air conditioning, and a fully equipped modern bathroom. These amenities were integrated into the building without interfering with the appearance of the classic exterior, so successfully that even the air-conditioned ground floor looks like the open space traditionally found underneath Thai houses. True to Thai form, these rooms were used as gathering and dining places, while the upper rooms were the private living quarters and reception rooms.

The highlight of the formal reception room is an antique bed that is believed to have belonged to King Rama II. The family liked to believe that this daybed is where Rama II, an accomplished poet, used to compose his masterpieces. Ornately carved display cabinets contain a very rare collection of exquisite puppet heads which are family heirlooms from the period of Rama V's reign.

The table in M.R. Kukrit's library was once used for secret political discussions during his term as Prime Minister. The Thai display cabinet contains manuscripts of old rare books, photographs and notes from royalty, and photos of ancestors. On top of the cabinet is a very rare statue of Biravana, the Hindu demon god of dance, to whom MR Kukrit would pay homage in a grand annual ceremony.

The Buddha room includes a reliquary that contains part of M.R. Kukrit's ashes. Most of the figures in this room were gifts to M.R. Kukrit, who built this room specially to house them.

M.R. Kukrit was a reknowned patron of Thai classical dance. The large pavilion hall displays a fine collection of khon masks worn in Thai classical dance drama performances. The soft facial expressions on some of the masks indicate the craftsman-ship of a master mask maker from the reign of Rama VI. The masks depicting human faces are very rare; they date from the early Ratanakosin period when all the dancers, even the human characters, wore masks.

As the residence of a prominent member of a princely family, politician, author, patron of the arts and an important public opinion leader, M.R. Kukrit's home was the site of numerous public functions and visits from foreign dignitaries and important figures in politics and society. A large pavilion hall was added in the later years of the owner's life to accommodate the various receptions, banquets, dance performances and religious ceremonies that M.R. Kukrit often hosted. The pavilion is connected to the residence by a formal walled garden, creating the impression of a unified living compound. The garden contains a famed collection of exquisite Thai miniature trees, or mai dat, and a miniature mountain, or kao mar, as well as a number of rare plants whose cultivation was personally supervised by M.R. Kukrit, a keen amateur botanist.

The sitting area of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj's bedroom has been left untouched in the way he lived in it during his lifetime. This is the room where he relaxed, listened to the radio, watched television and held a small nightly feast with his beloved dogs. To the right, a set of altar tables comprise a small personal shrine for a Buddha figure where MR Kukrit prayed every day.

The antechamber of the bedroom houses typical 19th-century carved furniture, but the slatted walls are a departure from the typical vertical panelling found in Thai houses.

The Lacquer Pavilion in the garden was rescued from its dilapidated state in a monastery in the countryside and brought to Suan Pakkad Palace where it was restored by Princess Chumbhot in 1958.

Suan Pakkad Palace

Suan Pakkad, or 'Cabbage Garden Palace', was the property of Prince Chumbhot of Nagara Svarga, a grandson of King Chulalongkorn and the eldest son of Prince Paribatra of Nagara Svarga. The palace is located in the grounds of a former commercial vegetable garden, hence the unusual name.

The former princely residence began life in 1952 as a single reception pavilion. Over the years it was extended with the addition of six traditional houses from various locations in central Thailand connected on to the raised chan-ban verandah and walkways. Most of the buildings belonged to the Prince's great-great grandfather, who was one of the two Regents during the time of King Mongkut, or Rama IV, in the mid 19th century. The Prince and his wife were avid collectors of Thai artefacts and antiques: during the process of assembling the building, they decided to use it as a showcase for their collection and opened the palace to the public as a museum.

The highlight of the palace complex is the magnificent Lacquer Pavilion in the garden. Formerly located in the Ban Kling monastery between Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-in on the Chao Phraya River, it is believed that, prior to that, it was part of a royal residence in Ayutthaya. The pavilion was discovered by Princess Chumbhot in 1958 and moved to Bangkok, where it was restored to its present glory. In 1959 the prince gave the pavilion to the princess for her 50th birthday, then died of a heart attack later in the same year. Judging from the style of dress depicted in the murals, the pavilion is believed to date from the early 19th century, otherwise known as the Ayutthaya period.

The Lacquer Pavilion originally consisted of two separate buildings, but to save the buildings from dilapidation, the villagers of the town where it was located dismantled both buildings and rebuilt them to form a new building consisting of an inner chamber within an outer chamber. The inner walls are covered with gold-and-black lacquer painting, known as lai rod nom in Thai. This art flourished in the Ayutthaya and early Ratanakosin periods and was applied to manuscript cabinets, boxes, doors and other objects. Designs ranged from classical motifs to a variety of religious scenes. Here, the life of the Buddha along with secular scenes of daily life of that period are depicted.

Situated in the front house, an imposing temple busabok houses three Buddha images. The figure in the middle is a Hellenistic-influenced Gandhara style Buddha, from Pakistan. The other two figures are Thai. On the left, an altar holds a set of antique swords.

A palanquin is placed on top of a low table with lion's feet legs. The tiered umbrella is unfurled over the palanquin's occupant and is a symbol of royalty. To the left, an ornately tiered reliquary serves as a lamp and rests on top of a manuscript cabinet.

A late 18th-century Ratanakosin period cabinet displays an exquisite collection of gold nielloware, which was used only by nobility. On one side sits an antique dressing table, while on the other side and in the foreground, a gold lacquer ceremonial offering vessel sits atop two ornately carved altar tables.

The pavilion originally consisted of two separate buildings, a hor trai, or library for containing religious manuscripts, and a hor khien, a three-walled pavilion open on one side. The inner walls of both were covered with black-and-gold lacquer murals depicting scenes from the life of the Buddha, along with charming representations of secular daily life of those days. The outer walls were covered with elaborate wooden carvings of flowers and animals. Originally the hor trai consisted of an inner room containing bookcases surrounded by a verandah. It was raised on stilts and stood in a pond.

Due to the severe dilapidation of the hor khien, the villagers at Ban Kling monastery dismantled both buildings in order to create a new library, the present-day structure which consists of an inner chamber surrounded by a larger outer chamber. The interior walls are completely covered with lacquer depictions of the life of the Buddha. During this process, many of the original works of art were lost because panels were sawn off and the structure reassembled disregarding the chronology of the events depicted in the murals. Some of the panels were cut and parts lost, while some of the beautiful carvings became hidden within the building's structure, thus destroying any semblance of the original appearance of both hor trai and hor khien. By the time the pavilion was acquired by Prince and Princess Chumbhot the lacquer had deteriorated so badly that some of the panels were completely blank. It is entirely due to Princess Chumbhot's painstaking restoration that many of the exquisite works of art are now visible today.

On the verandah of the main house, gold-and-black lacquer manuscript cabinets depict scenes from the life of the Buddha and the Ramakien. In the foreground are mother-of-pearl offering vessels, used to present food at ceremonies.

A view of the exterior.

Beside the doorway stands a frame used for placing Buddha tablets, traditionally used in temples. A wood carving above the door depicts a stupa flanked by rows of theppanom deities in attitudes of worship.

The Bunnag Home

In the early 1960s Khun Tula Bunnag, then an official in the Royal Household Department, started to build a Thai-style house alongside a klong in what was then an idyllic rural area of Sukhumvit Road. Comprising four teak houses brought from Ayutthaya province which are now over 100 years old, the houses are arranged in a square connected by a wide, spacious chan-ban verandah. Another Thai house on the ground level was a later addition, built for one of the sons.

The Bunnag residence is significant as a rare example of a traditional building that is still lived in as the contemporary home of an aristocratic family. The family of Tula Bunnag are the direct descendants of Chao P'raya Suriyawongse Bunnag, an important figure in Thai history who was the formidable Regent of Siam during the minority of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).

The upper rooms of the main house are used as bedrooms, and there is also one formal reception room with a Buddha room annex. A skylight opening cut in the middle of the chan-ban verandah allows sunlight to shine on to a fish pond in the open-air space used as the living and dining area beneath the chan-ban verandah.

In keeping with the classic Thai house layout, the open-air chan-ban verandah, lower living area and uncovered outdoor staircases tend to leave the residence exposed to nature's elements. This is wonderful when breezes circulate during hot days, but when a thunder storm breaks out, it is another matter. "People always ask me what we do when it rains," says Khun Tula's widow Khun Chancham, a writer noted for interpreting the English edition of M.R. Kukrit Pramoj's most famous novel, The Four Reigns. "And I always tell them, well everything gets wet, of course."

A house on ground level was a later addition as the family grew. The decorative panels beneath the windows were carved by Tula Bunnag.

The house as seen from the leafy garden.

In the reception room, a carved manuscript cabinet depicts Buddha's flight from the palace. Resting atop a day bed, a mother-of-pearl tray holds a betel nut set and offering bowl crafted by Tula Bunnag. On the wall hangs a photo of two of King Rama V's sons.

Above a gold-and-black lacquer manuscript chest, a portrait of the formidable family ancestor, Chao P'raya Suriyawongse Bunnag, looks out over an arrangement of poom, the classic ceremonial floral decorations that are meant to resemble a budding lotus. Beneath the window is a bronze sculpture of the same ancestor, along with family photos including one of Khun Tula with the present monarch, and an heirloom sword.

A view into the Buddha room, a classic feature of an upper-class house. The pot on the left is a traditional Mon terracotta water jar.

A type of altar known as attachan stands beside a traditional dressing table. In the foreground a mother-of-pearl inlay tray holds a set of antique Bencharong dishes.

A collection of Tula Bunnag's mother-of-pearl creations on display with the chan-ban verandah behind.

Particularly large chan-ban verandahs such as this one normally have a central skylight opening to accommodate a shady tree. This one allows sunlight to fall onto a fish pond beneath.

Reflecting the family's history, the sprawling Bunnag residence is stuffed full with heirlooms of Thai antiquity, decorative wood carvings, delicately crafted mother-of-pearl inlay objects that Khun Tula carved as his hobby, as well as people and animals spilling over each other in the course of everyday life. Exquisite Thai antiquities form the backdrop to the family's daily life, merging into the living space with a casual familiarity derived from a shared history over many generations.

True to tradition, the open-air ground level beneath the chan-ban verandah is used as a dining room and sitting area that opens onto the garden, providing easy access for the influx of plants, animals and friends. "An authentic Thai house is supposed to be messy and lived in," chuckles son Khun Tew Bunnag, as a gleaming rooster struts across the dining-room floor, followed by several cocker spaniels. "Daily life creates clutter. This isn't a museum, it's a real Thai home."

Exterior view of the Red Palace as seen from the museum's lush garden. This building is a reduced scale replica of a former royal palace called Tamnak Daeng that is now located in the National Museum.

The Prasart Museum

The Prasart Museum, located on Krungthep Kreetha Road on the outskirts of Bangkok, was built to house owner Prasart Vongsakul's collection of Thai prehistoric artefacts, Buddha images, pottery, Thai furniture, paintings and porcelain. An avid collector who had been amassing objects for 20 years before he started building his museum in 1980, Khun Prasart realised that many of Thailand's most precious objets d'art had been taken abroad by foreign collectors. Concerned that the country was losing its artistic heritage, he hoped to preserve these objects in Thailand for the benefit of future generations.

To provide a classical setting for the collection, the museum calls on a variety of buildings, each an example of classical Thai architecture. They include a temple designed by the owner, a teakwood library or hor kaeow set on stilts over a pond in the traditional manner, and a Lan Na pavilion, among others.

The highlight of the museum is the Red Palace, modelled after the original Tamnak Daeng now located in Bangkok's National Museum, which was built as a royal residence for a princess during the reign of Rama II. The original palace is 200 years old and upon seeing its dilapidated condition, the owner decided to replicate the building, lest the original fall into ruin. The replica is built to a smaller scale than the original and is made of rare golden teakwood and crafted by artisans from all over Thailand. Some parts, such as the pillars and doors, are antiques sourced from old temples. The building is sectioned into three rooms; a main sitting room, a bedroom, and a smaller room that probably served as a dressing room in the old days.

The main sitting room inside the Red Palace houses mostly Thai objects from the Ayutthaya and early Ratanakosin periods. On the left, a display cabinet on top of a carved Thai table is a rare example of a style of furniture that was used only by royalty. An 18th-century Thai temple carving of the Hindu god Vishnu on top of a garuda is displayed atop a manuscript cabinet in an extraordinary style that is intricately carved in wood and retouched in gold. In the corner is a 19th-century Thai monk's pulpit, used for preaching sermons. To the right is an enormous 19th-century Chinese decorative screen, carved in wood and covered with gold leaf. The standing and reclining Buddha figures, as well as the figure of the seated monk in the foreground are 19th-century Burmese from the Mandalay period. Paintings on window shutters was not a traditional Thai custom, but the painted shutters in the Red Palace are a creative touch added by the owner.

Following the strict rules governing the placement of rooms, the open porch in front of the bedroom shows the unusually high steps rising up to the room, as befits the rank of its royal occupant. In the old days, these steps were removed at night to provide greater security for the princess inside. A collection of mother-of-pearl offering containers is displayed on top of an early 19th-century bed that originally belonged to Rama II. Behind is a black-and-gold lacquer manuscript cabinet. Khun Prasart's team of artists painted the scene in gold leaf on the shutters.

A small concrete-and-marble temple building was designed by the owner. The body is designed in the Ratanakosin style, while the gable is of carved wood and covered with glass mosaic, in the Ayutthaya style.

Detail of the painted door in the Red Palace depicts a decorative scene of theppanom, or celestial beings, in attitudes of worship, gathering together to pray to the Lord Buddha.

Inside the temple, a 14th-century late Sukhothai period Buddha rests on top of a lotus pedestal and altar carved from teak and covered in gold leaf. Both pedestal and altar were designed by Khun Prasart and crafted by his team of artisans in 1980. The decorative panel hanging from the ceiling shows a classic Thai pattern painted on golden teak. The frame hanging down is made of carved wood covered in gold leaf.

View of the house from the lawn overlooking the beach.

Hua Hin Beach House

Though the Thai-style beach house of M.R. Saisanidh Rangsit is visible to strollers on Hua Hin Beach as an elegant old house set back on an expansive lawn stretching down to the sea, the house originally started out in a much humbler guise, on a different location at the rear of the property. Built 30 years ago by the current owner's father, H.S.H. Prince Sanidh Rangsit, it was originally servants' quarters located behind the main house. The house follows the strict social hierarchy that governs Thai architecture as it is constructed of mai teng, or Malaysian hardwood, and mai yang or rubber wood. These are fairly common woods and suitable for such edifices (the most precious and rare woods are reserved for royalty and the nobility).

By the time M.R. Saisanidh took over the estate, the old servants' quarters were beginning to subside. He had the option to either let them fall down, or dismantle the various parts to salvage what he could, and reassemble the house. Choosing the latter option, he also decided to relocate the house to another site, and found a spot on the property beside a canal that offered a view of the sea.

"When my father saw the new location he was so pleased," said M.R. Saisanidh, "he said it was the same spot he himself had originally thought to put the house 30 years ago!"

M.R. Saisanidh sketched the new design and layout for what was to become the reassembled house and employed la local craftsman to build it. The craftsman lived on site during the six months it took to complete the job, setting up a little camp complete with his family and chickens. "It doesn't take an architect to build a Thai house, if you have a good craftsman," explains M.R. Saisanidh. "Thai houses are built according to very strict rules of proportion. It's all about getting these right and a good craftsman can do that."

The open-fronted porch in front of the master bedroom is comfortably appointed with triangular pillows, a wooden daybed in the foreground and a bamboo bed at the far end, all forms of typical Thai furnishings.

The rooms are placed side by side on an elongated chan-ban verandah facing the beachfront, providing ample sea breezes and a full view of the sunrise.

The main sitting and dining area is an open-air section in the front of the chan-ban verandah, overlooking the vast lawn spreading down to the beach. A reed floor mat and rattan low-level khantoke trays used for serving food are classic country-style furnishings.

The new configuration consists of two rooms placed side by side on top of a long, rectangular chan-ban verandah, with the entire house facing the sea. Facing the house towards the waterway is true to Thai tradition, and in this case it fulfills the aesthetic of a beach house as well. For practical purposes, however, the entrance staircase is placed off to the side of the building rather than the front as is customary (in the past one would have arrived at such houses by boat).

The upper rooms are used as bedrooms, with a section of the chan-ban verandah roofed and used as the open-air sitting and dining area of the house. The ground section of the house is used as the kitchen quarters.

The master bedroom is dominated by a four-poster bed in the Chinese style that was popular during the reign of Rama II. Silk cushions provide luxurious seating on the floor.

A Country Guest House

Though classic Thai houses have become rare in metropolitan Bangkok, the countryside only a few hours' drive from the city offers a landscape of coconut palms, temple spires, gabled houses and a laid-back lifestyle. This country estate belonging to a Bangkok publishing magnate is located on a sprawling riverside property near the old capital of Ayutthaya.

Although the country location of this house would have made it easy to assemble from the numerous old rural houses in the neighbourhood, the owners erected an entirely new house custom built by local craftsmen. This Thai house in fact serves as a guest house, while the family prefers to stay in a large contemporary structure next door.

The Thai house is a large cluster house consisting of three large upper units, each divided into two bedrooms with an open-fronted sitting area in front of each unit. Though the chan-ban verandah is extraordinarily large, ample shade comes from a large tree growing through the central skylight. An open-air sala that serves as the dining and social area is located to the side of the front entrance door. Kitchen and dining quarters are located on the ground floor. Typically in a Thai dwelling, a small chamber or antechamber in the house is set aside as a Buddha room, but here there is a large single unit house acting as such to the side of the cluster house.

A large open-air sala on the river's edge, used for entertaining and dining, is perfectly situated to take advantage of the river breeze and the charming view of an old chedi and a Chinese pagoda rising from the opposite bank.

Exterior view of the house as seen from the lawn facing the waterfront.

The gabled entrance door is typical of large houses of the well-to-do. In such houses, the chan-ban verandah is often enclosed within wooden walls or a surrounding balustrade, to provide security for the inhabitants.

Typically, the ground floor beneath the chan-ban verandah is used as the dining and living area of the home. This table is ready for a meal of noodles, set with the classic rooster motif bowls that are popularly used in noodle shops and homes all over the country. One of two buffalo heads is seen in this dining area; they add a touch of whimsy to this house in the countryside, where the water buffalo is the backbone of Thai farming.

The open-fronted porch in front of each room is typical of Thai houses, providing a shady area in which to relax. A Bencharong tea set rests atop a carved Chinese side table. The reclining chair is typical of Thai country furniture.

A single unit house beside the larger house is used as the Buddha room. The altar is housed in an ornately carved bed and a Nepalese thanka hangs on the right.

A Thai sala, or open-air pavilion, is typically placed at the front of the house and used for social gatherings and relaxing. This one, however, was placed adjacent to the gabled main entrance doorway of the chan-ban verandah.

The expansive verandah is covered by the spreading branches of a tree emerging from the central skylight. Building houses around a large tree allows for shade to cover the seating areas below.

The open-air sala on the chan-ban verandah is a place for dining and socializing. Decorative panels taken from an ox cart along the ceiling depict elephants, a popular image in Thai art and culture.

The Thai House Hotel

The Thai House Hotel, set in the midst of a lush fruit orchard 22 km (12 miles) north of Bangkok, is a contemporary example of a traditional cluster house dwelling built to accommodate a large household. With its lofty gables visible from afar, it is discernible from the building's considerable size and scale that it is a home belonging to a prosperous up-country family.

Made from golden teak, the structure was custom built for the owners in 1990 by 25 craftsmen from Ayutthaya province. The house consists of seven bedrooms divided among three separate houses set on the raised chan-ban verandah. Though built as a contemporary home, the owners adhere to the traditional manner of living: beds and seating are placed on the floor, and air conditioning is eschewed in favour of fresh country breezes; high-ceilinged rooms provide enough air circulation for a comfortable night's sleep. The open ground floor is used as a lobby, dining and sitting area. The centuries old Thai custom of cultivating potted plants in the home is in ample evidence throughout.

The Thai House Hotel is the home of the Fargrajang family, who run the property as a farm-stay guesthouse. It was the dream of the owners, who formerly ran a travel agency specializing in inbound tours catering to Europeans, to build a traditional Thai house where visitors could experience the idyllic lifestyle of rural Thailand. "Thai houses have become rare," says owner Khun Prasan Fargrajang, who grew up in her father's traditional Thai house, which is still located on the property behind the guesthouse, overlooking the canal. "Most of them are old and damaged and it's hard to find the artisans who are able to renovate and maintain the exact traditional style. The few complete ones that still exist either belong to the rich elite or have become museums. Neither type offer a place to stay, and few people these days have the opportunity to experience Thai houses as homes any more."

Platform landings situated at different levels along the entrance stairways originated purely from the need to accommodate high and low floods during the monsoon. The platforms are usually roofed to form a small pavilion, and were used as a gathering place. They are usually found in the more well-to-do houses, while poorer homes have only a simple flight of stairs.

Taking its cue from the cluster house architecture of the extended family, the hotel treats its guests like members of a rural household. Guests can take part in Thai cuisine cooking courses using herbs and vegetables plucked straight from the kitchen garden, or travel on longtail boats through the canal network behind the house to join in the typical activities of a rural community, such as local temple fairs and ordination ceremonies. The boat ride through the canals extends all the way to Bangkok's Grand Palace pier on the Chao Phraya River.

Traditionally, all household activities such as sleeping, eating and resting took place on the floor, which was kept meticulously clean, and explains the Thai custom of removing one's shoes when entering a Thai house.

Thai homes contained very little furniture. In most households, the occupants used mostly reed mats and pillows; here a bedroom is created with the addition of a mattress and dressing table.

The unusually tall height of these house pillars allows the lower sitting area to enjoy more light and provides greater space for breezes to circulate.

The Jim Thompson House

Known to locals simply as 'The House on the Klong', the house of American architect and businessman Jim Thompson epitomizes the heights of elegance that can be attained through a successful marriage of beautiful objects and exquisite taste. Originally stationed in Thailand with the US Office of Strategic Services during World War II, Thompson became a legend for single-handedly reviving the then-dying craft of Thai silk weaving, bringing the product to international fame, and then mysteriously disappearing in the Malaysian jungle in 1967. A great admirer of all things Thai, Thompson built his house in the late 1950s, at a time when it was completely novel for either Thais or westerners to live in a traditional Thai house. He acquired six old houses from various parts of the country and had them reassembled in 1959 in their current location, choosing a site on the klong, or canal, opposite the Bangkrua weaving community that produced his silk.