THAI ARCHITECTURE
Past, Present and Future
By An Nimmanahaeminda
FOR the reader to understand some- thing of the architecture of Thailand from one brief article it is necessary to present a few facts about the country's climactic, historical and cultural backgrounds, which are the main factors in the development of her present day architecture.
Thailand covers an area about the same size as France and is situated on the land mass south of China known as the Golden Peninsular. It has a population of about 25 million, comprising mainly homogeneous Thai tribes. The most predominant foreign group is the Chinese, with over three million inhabitants.
The country stretches from north to south from 20 degrees to 6 degrees latitude, north of the equator. and hence the predominant climate may be called hot humid or hot arid, ex- cept for the northern region which is wooded and hilly in terrain and has a slightly milder climate.
The seasons are fairly well defined rainy winter and dry summer. The annual rainfall is 45 in. to 55 in., and more in the southern peninsular. Thailand's best weather of the year is during winter, but even so the
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temperature varies a great deal. The hottest months are March. April and May.
In winter winds come from be- tween north and east, and in the other season from between south east and
This article is based on a lecture delivered by Professor An Nimmana- haeminda, B Arch, M Arch, MCP (Harvard), before the American In- stitute of Architects (Hawaii Chap- ter).
The author re- ceived his profes- sional training in architecture and city planning from Liverpool Univer- sity, UK, and Cornell and Har- vard, USA.
Following ser. vice with the Thai Public Works
Department he
was transferred to Chulalongkorn University as a permanent teaching staff member of the Faculty of Ar- chitecture. In 1958, at the request of Silapakorn University, he organis- ed and administered the Faculty of Thai Architecture.
new
south west. Consequently we always try to orientate our buildings to the
south to catch the maximum breeze and to effect cross ventilation during
the hot months.
East or west ori- entation is less de- sirable than north because of the hot Most buildings designed as open structures with plenty of projecting
sun.
are
roof or slab over the opening to cut out glare, heat or driving rain.
Insects are a great problem in Thai- land, with mosqui- toes and termites as the worst pests. Owing to moisture content, wood if used on exterior sur- faces will change its natural beauty and
Library in Buddhist Temple, Chiengmai
become darker in less than two years.
So far there is no good paint or oil finish for either wood or masonry. The traditional white lime wash as used on temple buildings seems to be by far the most durable. The best solution of course, if it can be afford- ed. is to use facing materials such as marble or mosaic.
Past History
Thailand is rich in its histories. Many old ruins of superb ancient Cambodian and early Thai works are still to be seen in several parts of the country.
The earliest aborigines of Thailand were those of the Negrito, and later Stone Age Man. Later, it was settled and ruled by the Mon. Lawa and an- cient Cambodian from India of the Kupta era almost 2.000 years ago. The present Thai came originally from China. They settled and lived for hundreds of years developing their
Own culture and civilization quite distinct from the Chinese.
Although the Thai and Chinese are from the same Mongolian stock, with language very similar in the use of intonation, they differ in their way of living and artistic concept. In the long struggle for supremacy with the Chinese, some of the Thai were being absorbed while the others pushed on to the more sparsely populated hinter- land wooded area of the south and south western part of China to estab- lish new kingdoms and city states, or become part of other countries.
For over 1.000 years, some of the Thai tribes pushed further south and settled in the area known as the Golden Peninsula. There are now Thai in India, Burma, China, Laos, Indo-China and present Thai- land. Thai people scattered outside Thai territory are supposed to num- ber about the same as those in Thai- land.
The Thai people who migrated south to present Thailand had to en- counter the early settlers and after several wars were won, assumed com- plete control of the present country about 700 years ago. They also adopted Buddhism as a state religion. However, Thailand was always split into quite a few kingdoms or city states. It was not until the time of the American Declaration of Inde-
Far East Architect & Builder March, 1966
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