Traditional Thai House

[sadman]

The management and I have finally bought the land we've been looking for, just under 1 rai on a hillside overlooking Bang Tao beach (Phuket).

Now the fun begins. We want to build (or, rather, have built) a house to a fairly traditional Thai design ('cos we like it) but in modern materials (longevity, safety, cost etc etc etc).

We've got a good architect with some nice ideas (a local woman, if anyone wants her details) but don't just want to leave it up to her, as it's our house. Problem is, we're having problems finding sufficient photos of such houses so we can get ideas. I've scoured the libraries and the net, but found a very limited stock. The kind of things we're looking for are designs not too dissimilar to Jim Thompson's house, although using more up-to-date materials.

Can anyone suggest where I might see such photos? Or such houses, for that matter (in Phuket or Bangkok)?

Thanks.

[Sel]

These may help

http://www.thailand-huahin.com/thailand-pi...rchitecture.htm

http://www.bangsaiarts.com/artsvillage_back_E.htm

[BambinA]

Traditional Thai House

if you know somebody who can read TH, this link will be useful about the Tradition home building complany

Building Company Links

Ban Song Thai

Bambi

Edited August 25, 2005 by BambinA

[The Skipper]

I see a large selection of Architecture and Thai Style books at most bookshops in the Sukhumvit area.

Times Square, Landmark, DK Book near Soi 15, the book/magazine shop in Central Chitlom.

There are a few Bali Style developments that you could personally inspect for ideas.

Have you seen the Sugar Hut in Pattaya?

I think that is what you are looking for.

[Crossy]

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only person wanting to build a traditional syle house with modern materials. The typical 'Farang' style is just to ostentatious for me.

The other half likes the southern style like this one at Bangsai cultural centre, obviously we would build in steel and concrete with as little real wood as possible coz of our friendly termites.

We're having the same problem finding anyone with actual drawings, particularly using modern materials.

I'm going to send the missus to Bangsai during the week, never know they may give / sell the plans for their buildings that we can convert. I'll post if we have any joy.

Luckily our chosen location is about 15 minutes drive from the cultural centre, we have 1.2 rai of swamp .. sorry, "prime building land" .. by the river, currently with the local farmers cows on it.

[Steve2UK]

I'm going to send the missus to Bangsai during the week, never know they may give / sell the plans for their buildings that we can convert. I'll post if we have any joy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Crossy, I'd really appreciate as detailed a report on Bangsai as you can manage after you/your missus have seen it - I think others on here would, as well. Their website's very well-meaning but a bit short on details. Definitely on my list of places to check out.

Totally agree with you about the "usual" type of farang style house - just not sure that "ostentatious" quite states what I really think of it

[chownah]

For those not in the know: Bambina's first link was from a goggle image search. The way you do this is go to google and right above the text entry window there is the word "Images" or something similar...just click on this to shift into image search mode. I did this and then entered "Traditional Thai House"....and got a bunch of good stuff. If you find a style you like then you might try a new search...for instance if you find you like the ayuthaya style you could search using that as a modifier etc.etc.

[Steve2UK]

For those not in the know: Bambina's first link was from a goggle image search.  The way you do this is go to google and right above the text entry window there is the word "Images" or something similar...just click on this to shift into image search mode.  I did this and then entered "Traditional Thai House"....and got a bunch of good stuff.  If you find a style you like then you might try a new search...for instance if you find you like the ayuthaya style you could search using that as a modifier etc.etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great tip, Chownah - I was wondering while I looked at it. Thanks for that

[simon43]

I'll take a trip up to Bangsai as well. I previously posted that we are going to build a small holiday resort on Samui for disabled tourists. We want to build attractrive, Thai-style houses, but we are need to consider relevant modifications to cater for wheelchair users etc.

Simon

[sadman]

Many thanks, Bambi. Those links were very handy. Thanks also to Chownah for giving me a better idea of how to use google. And to Crossy, because I feel less of a knob. I thought I was the only person who wanted to build a trad house with modern materials, and everyone looked at me as if I was some kind of idiot.

[gerry1011]

I have no experience in building a "contemporary thai house".

However, just to let you see it, have a look here: http://users.skynet.be/gerry

This property has 4 houses. The main house is only wood.

But, the 3 smaller houses (the guest pavillons) are in concrete, covered with wood on the outside.

You can't notice it, and it looks like a pure traditional thau house...

It might be an idea to consider maybe.

[Crossy]

Many thanks, Bambi. Those links were very handy. Thanks also to Chownah for giving me a better idea of how to use google. And to Crossy, because I feel less of a knob. I thought I was the only person who wanted to build a trad house with modern materials, and everyone looked at me as if I was some kind of idiot.

It's us eccentric Brits that give the place some colour and cancel out the t-shirt wearing, shaven headed, tattooed yobbo types

I'm going drop a mail to Gerry, the Dutch guy up in Chaing mai, maybe he can give us some clues on his construction techniques he used for his guest houses.

I'd really love to build in wood, nice natural material, but the real thing (Teak) is just way too expensive (if obtainable) and the available timber makes a nice meal for termites

Edited August 27, 2005 by Crossy

[gerry1011]

Many thanks, Bambi. Those links were very handy. Thanks also to Chownah for giving me a better idea of how to use google. And to Crossy, because I feel less of a knob. I thought I was the only person who wanted to build a trad house with modern materials, and everyone looked at me as if I was some kind of idiot.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's us eccentric Brits that give the place some colour and cancel out the t-shirt wearing, shaven headed, tattooed yobbo types

I'm going drop a mail to Gerry, the Dutch guy up in Chaing mai, maybe he can give us some clues on his construction techniques he used for his guest houses.

I'd really love to build in wood, nice natural material, but the real thing (Teak) is just way too expensive (if obtainable) and the available timber makes a nice meal for termites

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The termites problem is indeed a concern. But, if you treat the wood regularly with the correct (fairly expensive) products, you can keep the insects away.

Using wood is wonderful but concrete is, of course, much easier to maintain and less expensive.

For the construction itself, the main problem is to find the correct craftmen to build the house. It is not that easy to find...

Uhm... by the way, "Gerry the Dutch guy" is Belgian

[Crossy]

Uhm... by the way, "Gerry the Dutch guy" is Belgian 

Yeah, I saw he had a Belgian email address, made an incorrect assumtion by reading that he was the curator of a Dutch museum which is incorrect as it's the author of the page that is the former curator.

I hope he's not too miffed

Concrete and steel has to be the way to go for us, as a Brit I don't like wooden houses, look nice but burn rather too easily, concrete does not burn. I'm quite sure we can do this, just needs a little investigation.

Edited August 29, 2005 by Crossy