found in all areas where Thai people settle. The high pitched roof, spaci- ous verandah, raised stilts, and sur- rounding lush foliage make the Thai house very picturesque.
The Chinese build their houses with wall bearing construction which generally places the entire floor area on the ground. The Japanese, with the same tradition of skeleton con- struction as the Thai, raised the floor about 3ft. above the ground, probably to achieve maximum rigidity and strength in face of frequent typhoons and earthquakes.
Thailand, which is free from these natural elements, allows free exploita- tion of the lower floor space. General- ly, most Thai houses are on stilts, 6ft. to 8ft. above the ground, the space underneath being utilized for storage. home industry or living area during the hot months. On the whole Thai houses are very suitable for a region of torrential rain. dampness, insects and unpredictable floods.
Basic Type
The Thai. being originally the in- habitants of the cold region of southern China, live in many respects like people of the cold countries. The earliest house-type to be seen in the area of present Thailand is charac- terized by simple rectangular form with a one-room plan.
The severe climate permits little outdoor living. save for the single small verandah attached to the gable end of the house which serves as an entrance hall. The living, cooking and sleeping area are included in one large room with open fireplace located near the main entrance and sleeping area at the other end. The fireplace serves as the theme centre for the en- tire family to squat around and for cooking.
The unique features of this early house are the high-pitched roof and the skeleton type of construction with beam and column as structural mem- bers. The house is raised on wooden stilts, the floor being 1.50 metres to 2 metres above the ground. Thus the occupants are made safe from flood, dampness and insects.
Lanna Thai House
The southward immigration of the Thai into present Thailand and nearby countries began over 1,000 years ago. The first capitol was established at Chiengsaen Luang, followed by Chiengrai and Chiengmai. This first settlement is known as Lanna Thai, which was followed by the Lanchang and Sukothai Empire.
The Thai encountered a more tem- perate climate. heavy rainfall and rich luxurient subtropical forest. Ex- cept for the 3-4 months period of winter when the mean outdoor tem- perature varies from 65 degrees to 75 degrees F., the year is generally warm (75 85 degrees F.), and hence the separate entity for cooking only was eliminated from the living area of the
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house. The attempt to acclimatize brought about considerable changes in the development of Thai houses, and for the first time the fireplace as a separate entity for cooking only was housed in another unit adjacent to the main living quarter, freeing occupants from the smoke and dirt of a log fire.
The warm climate permits a great deal of outdoor living: the verandah is greatly enlarged to bring about indoor-outdoor relationship, and part of this verandah is roofed. The open verandah becomes the terrace of the house, utilized as laundry yard and space for pot planting. The custom of separating drinking water from washing water brought about a drink-
Chinese house
Japanese House
Thai house
ing water stall in every Lanna Thai house on the verandah, and a feet- washing water trough at the foot of the stair.
Sometimes more living units are added as the family grows. These units are placed adjacent to the main unit, to use the common gutter. Sometimes the main roof is extended down to form the shed or granary, giving split-level space to the house. The gable end becomes the main elevation and the house is oriented north and south to face the regional prevailing wind.
The Lanna Thai house develops a new concept in the Thai house; name- ly a loosely organized group of dif- ferent units which is composed of at least the main living and sleeping unit,
Far East Architect & Builder March, 1966
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