One of the first
things visitors will notice while in Northern Thailand is the
unique traditional houses and buildings that can be seen everywhere—still
as abundant as modern houses and buildings which gradually infiltrate
the landscape.
The Lanna house, or Ruen Ka-lae is similar to the Thai traditional
(central) house in that it was originally constructed completely
from teak wood, and built elevated from the ground to protect
from flooding during the wet season. It is important to understand
that this type of house was owned and lived in by the wealthy,
as the process of building and carpentry was extensive. Slaves
and peasants would live in much less sophisticated make to do
huts.
What makes the Ruen Ka-lae distinguishable from other Thai traditional
houses is the two V shaped, hand carved ‘ka lae’ at
the sloped roof’s front and back, of which the house takes
its name. There are different beliefs as to the purpose of the ‘ka
lae’ Some believed that the Ka Lae represented a pair of
birds perched on the roof to scare away crows which are believed
to bring bad luck, while others insist it is buffalo horns. One
account claims that during the Burmese occupation, all the Thais
houses were forced to add it as to discern who was Thai and who
was Burmese. Still others claim that the original purpose was
simply part of the structural integrity design of the house.
Typically, a Ruen Ka-Lae consists of two rectangular rooms sharing
the same elevated floor, yet with two separate roofs. The bedroom
or main room is the larger room and is connected to the kitchen
structure by a walkway called a chan hom, or alternatively, the
front veranda-porch, called the teon, which also serves as a
guest welcoming area. The bathroom was generally a roofless bamboo-woven-walled
square, usually built away from the house.
Perhaps, most interesting detail of the ruen kalae is the practical
and simple, yet genius construction methods used. While glazed
clay tiles are used for the roofing, absolutely no nails, natural
stone-concrete, or glass were to be used. Instead, traditional
wooden jointing methods were used to construct a sturdy and comfortable
dwelling that was cool, cozy, and dry when need be—harmonious
with the natural environment, lanna’s prime heritage.
