Saw an ad in the latest Ban Lae Suan for Palmex composite thatch from a website homebuilders.co.th. After checking out the Palmex site, it looks very interesting. Fire retardant, 20 year warranty...

Has anyone tried this? Does it look fake? How much does it cost? Or is this new to everyone here too?

I think they were using this kind of roofing material on a higher end set of bungalo's in Koh Kood last year when we went for a visit Nice Island! The composite looked as if a blowtorch would melt it but not flame. the worker(spoke very broken English- go figure) said the Roof thatch material was treated with a flame retardant. I worked as a volunteer fire dept. worker in California for a while to give back to the community that kept me working & intuition tells me the thatch would resist flame but would burn under high heat, but the composite would not. Most likely crumble with the brick if it was a scorcher or melt without a flame(or much of one.

It looked like a great system. For the Islands especially! It gives the Island look along with a modern leak proof safe roof, or at least much safer than the old grass thatch roof.

Did it look natural, Beardog?

Did it look natural, Beardog?

I've visited the website but can't find any info on the Palmex. Judging by your pic it looks very natural, so I'm a little confused by your questions above.

Pictures can lie

It looked real natural. You could not tell it was not a grass thatch roof until you looked at the separate components.

If it was the exact same material - the worker showed me a gray plastic coated surface like wood & it had the grass thatch bonded to it.

It was a cut piece they couldn't use because it was 1/2 a meter so he pried it apart to show it to me. Quite a personable chap & He liked Alisa. Just about every one likes to talk to her. She makes my Journey in Thailand very easy when talking to The Thai's.

Although she hates having to be confrontational(as most Thai people are) When it comes to construction & having to direct them in the right direction!

I hope more people post. Looks like a great roof setup!

Beardog

thanks Beardog. that is good to hear. My husband's family has small backpacker bungalows on the beach (basically boxes on stilts--nice and clean, but still boxes on stilts ) --when the need to re-roof comes along I might see if my husband would like to look into this, looks much nicer than the usual roofing tiles.

thanks Beardog. that is good to hear. My husband's family has small backpacker bungalows on the beach (basically boxes on stilts--nice and clean, but still boxes on stilts ) --when the need to re-roof comes along I might see if my husband would like to look into this, looks much nicer than the usual roofing tiles.

SBK if I can ever complete this baan, My gal & I will probably venture out to koh Chang again. I will keep my eyes open when we go out cruising & see if anyone is using the modern stuff for you. Probably in later march.

Cheers!

If you do I'd love some close up photos--coming from you I can be sure they aren't doctored!

good luck and hopefully you'll have a vacation some time in the next century or so (after your house is finished )