One of Thai Craftmanship

            From historical and archaeological evidences, Thailand has been ancient for many centuries as from the period of Sukhothai, Ayutthaya up to Rattanakosin. The lifestyle of Thais in each era has been developed respectively according to the environmental and economical situation of country. But one element that still maintains the uniqueness of the Thais is the pattern of house which has its own specific style in difference from other nations.

            It is rather difficult to see a perfect typical Thai house nowadays. Besides unpopularity, a natural resource like "wood" is another factor that has become rare and the price of land for constructing house has increased. However, anyone who is still interested to study the details of typical Thai house can pay a visit at Khum Khunphaen, Phra Nakorn Si Ayutthaya province where a group of Central Thai style houses is on display.

            Primarily, Khum Khunphaen was an official residence of a former governor of Ayutthaya, built in 1894 on the Island near Wat Saphan-Klue. Later in 1940, Dr. Pridi Phanomyong ordered the moving of the house to be built on a piece of land which accommodated a prison in Ayutthaya period. Many traditional Thai style houses were built along to form a group of Thai-style house of the Central region under the name "Khum Khunphaen", named after a hero in a popular Thai literature and believed to be once somewhere in Ayutthaya. 

            Large size families of former Thais usually construct a group of houses facing one another with the hall left in the middle. The ground floor is raised higher above the ground to allow blowing of wind and heat ventilation and also to prevent from flooding and dangerous poisonous animals that come along the water. The central hall in the middle is served as the multipurpose room, for example, the living room, the private partition, family gathering of dining administer official functions. 

            Sitting room or front hall is a small building may be built in front of a group of traditional Thai house. This building is partly opened because it has only three walls. Both central hall and front hall are often used for the same purposes. In the past, many Thai families enjoyed keeping birds in the cages and hanging them at the front hall, therefore, the building is sometime referred to "the bird house",

            The important part of house is the main building as being the head building of house where is the residence of the head of family. Its character consists of a large room for sleeping with the terrace constructed in front of the house in order to easily look after the house.

            The purpose of constructing houses is not only to provide residences that have beautiful appearances, but it is also another way to merge Thai arts in the lifestyle of people magnificently. All of these present the way of life of Thais which is transferred for many centuries and can not be found elsewhere in this world.