Thai House Style & Decor

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Thai houses have steep roofs arching upwards towards the sky. Both the walls are inclined towards the center creating the illusion of height. There is a functional aspect behind this design and structural element. Hot air rises so the height of the roof keeps the house cool. Common elements are found in Thai religious and domestic architecture of earlier periods Additionally a great number of windows and doors are carefully aligned to facilitate an uninterrupted flow and aid the circulation of air. Walls were generally left unpainted, though sometimes oiled. Like temples, Thai houses have steep roofs arching upwards towards the sky. Both the walls are inclined towards the center creating the illusion of height. There is a functional aspect behind this design and structural element. 

Hot air rises so the height of the roof keeps the house cool. Common elements are found in Thai religious and domestic architecture of earlier periods Additionally a great number of windows and doors are carefully aligned to facilitate an uninterrupted flow and aid the circulation of air. Walls were generally left unpainted, though sometimes oiled. Traditional Thai houses are well adapted to the lifestyle needs and climatic conditions. Simplicity and open space are the core features of the Thai style house. In the hot and humid tropical climate, the airy, open quality of a Thai house and the broad overhangs of its roof protect the interior from both sun and rain. Elevated houses facilitate the circulation of air and offered a more comfortable living space. It was cooler to live in and protected the home from the risk of floods in the monsoon season. It also offered protection from hostile wildlife. The open space beneath the house was versatile. It was used as a living area in the hot season, as storage for the season's harvest, and as a place to keep livestock.

DECORATIVE ELEMENTS

In contrast to the ornate decorations of the temples and palaces, there were relatively few purely decorative elements and these were largely confined to panels carved in Chinese designs under the windows and sometimes over the doors and the curling roof ends, possibly reflecting the Khmer architectural style.

CONSTRUCTED WITHOUT NAILS

One practical feature of the Thai house is the ease with which it can be assembled or taken down. The entire house is built in light, pre-fabricated sections with each section forming a wall. Each wall is then fitted together and hung on the superstructure - a frame of wooden pillars - without nails. In former times, the fact that the house could be taken down and re-assembled with relative ease was well-suited to the indigenous way of life. When families decided to move, as they frequently did, the house would be taken down, stacked on a raft and floated down the nearest klong to a new location.

Keeping Evil Spirits Out and Babies In

According to superstition and traditional Thai belief, the raised thresholds of Thai houses prevent evil spirits from creeping in at night and disrupting the sleep of the inhabitants. It also served a functional purpose.

The raised threshold acted as a structural aid holding the wall sections firmly in place on their frame.

Additionally the early settlements of the Thai kingdom were largely agricultural communities built along rivers, canals and waterways. Hence to prevent babies and small children from falling into the water, the thresholds of the door were raised.

Whole families would sleep together in a single room. In some instances, the open space was partitioned off into separate living areas to accommodate various generations.

In a typical old Thai house, the various rooms would be separate units connected by open walkways and the staircase was on the outside.

However in the interest of comfort and for aesthetic considerations, the main house does not conform with the traditional practices of Thai architecture. The connecting corridors and the entrance hall is enclosed. 

The Thai house, like other houses in Southeast-Asia, is a wooden structure raised on posts. Over many centuries it has acquired its own unique style. The distinguishing marks are an elegantly tapering roof and various finials and decorations that differ regionally. While architectural features vary throughout the four cultural regions, Central Thailand, the North (Lanna), the North-East (Isaan), and the South, the method of raising a platform on poles is common to all parts of the country. It offers protection from dirt, hostile wildlife, thieves, and most importantly from the monsoon floods which affect all of Thailand.

The traditional Thai house is ideally adapted to its environment. The open high-pitched roof facilitates air circulation. Open windows and walls in combination with a large central terrace provide ideal ventilation and offer relief from the hot and humid climate. Wide overhanging eaves protect the house from sun and rain. Rainwater runs off the steep roof quickly and falls through the permeable terrace and house floors. The use of wood and bamboo reflects the once abundant forests that provided these materials ubiquitously and cheaply. In the past, an agricultural society existed in relative harmony with its natural environment.

The characteristics of Thai houses in the Central Plain are as follows: High floor level allowing an average height man to walk with clearance above his head and another floor of about forty centimetres below the main floor as to allow free ventilation and sitters on the main floor to hang their legs in comfort. High floor level is also for the following reasons:

1. Safety from wild beasts and possible intruders during night time.
2. As a measure against any inconvenience from flooding.
3. Space under the house for storage of farming equipment such as “kwian” (buffalo drawn wagon), planks, boats, ploughing set, large frying pan, etc.
4. Floor space under the house is used for producing handicraft, and a common sitting or squatting area.

There us a high gabled roof and ample slanting eaves, and the roof cover is made from earthenware tiles. A large platform area, which may represent as much as forty percent of the total floor area, allowing exposure to sunshine and good clean air. Thai house in the central plain has its roof line oriented along east west direction. This is to cut down the amount of sun light into the main body of the house and at the same time obtain the maximum benefit of the cool winds.