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Published: August 22nd 2009
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Jim Thompson House Museum
This afternoon I decided to visit the Jim Thompson House and Museum. I'm glad that I went because I finally got to see Thai architecture! Even though I've been driving all over Thailand for the past week, I haven't seen any traditional Thai style houses. I paid 50 Baht (discounted because I'm under 25...oh yeah!!) and that included access to the house and a 30 minute tour. While on the tour I learned several interesting things. First thing I came to find out is that Thai houses used to be always build on stilts. Before modern transportation made it possible for people to travel further inland, everyone lived near the rivers. Keeping their houses elevated on stilts helped prevent flooding during the rainy season. I also learned that a house was only one room (talk about small). Jim Thompson decided to take 6 houses and make every house a separate room when he build his in 1959. After going on the tour, I was rather hungry so I ate at the Jim Thompson Restaurant (I also wanted to check out the cooking to find out whether or not buying his cook book would be worth while).
The food was delicious. I had something (forget the name) that was stir fried chicken with Chinese broccoli and eggs noodles. I also had Cha Yen (or Thai Tea) with the meal. Yum!
Here's some more information about Thai architecture from http://www.jimthompsonhouse.com/museum/index.asp:
Historically, the religious and domestic architecture of Thailand shared some common characteristics.
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.
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. The curved roof-ends which give the tip of the eaves a highly distinctive look and add to the graceful appearance of the Thai houses are symbolic of the 'nagas' or serpents that adorn the Khmer temples. They have been stylized and often bear little resemblance to the original art form.
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.
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