TITLE Thai Phuan Housing : The Utilization
in the Way of
Life
of People in
Amphoe Ban Phue, Changwat
Udon Thani
AUTHOR Mr. Khamphai
Thachat
ADVISORS Dr. Sunatr
Phosan and Dr. Sastra Laoakka
DEGREE M.A. MAJOR
Cultural Science
UNIVERSITY Mahasarakham University
ABSTRACT
Housing are dwelling places
of human beings,
regarded as one of 4 necessities of life. Each ethnic group has its own house style as its identity.
Thai Phuan houses
have their very interesting shape and style.
Thai Phuan people
use indigenous knowledge
to build their houses with sanitary conditions
different from the houses of other ethnic
groups in several
ways. This study aimed to examine the background of Thai Phuan houses in the area of Amphoe
Ban Phue, Changwat
Udon Thani, and to investigate
the utilization of Thai Phuan houses involving
the way of life of Amphoe Ban Phue people
in Changwat Udon Thani. The qualitative research
was conducted in the area of 7 villages in Amphoe Ban Phue from June 2006 to September
2009. The sample
consisted of 12 key informants,
35 casual
informants, and 15 general informants.
The instruments used for collecting
data were a basic survey,
participant and non-participant observation
forms, structured- and untructured- interview
forms, and a note-taking form on focused
group discussion.
The collected
data were checked
using triangulation technique.
The data were analyzed according
to the study purposes. The finding were then presented
by means of a descriptive
analysis.
The findings
revealed that Thai Phuan houses
were wooden houses
with
a high-raised
upper floor on high pillars,
gable-shaped roofs roofed
with “mai ket”
(fish-scale-liked wooden
tiles) or “din kho” (baked-clay
tiles with hooks).
They also used zinc iron roofs because
zinc was lighter
and more durable
than wooden tiles.
Pillar were made of hard wood. The upper floor was covered
with “paen” (thick
planks). The house walls were popularly made of thin wooden portions.
On the wooden
wall above the bed head there was a small wind hole called “pong iam”. The upper house-floor
was used as
bed rooms,
for relaxation, a kitchen, and a dining
room. On the wall in the east there was a shelf for worshipping
or a separate
room for keeping
valuable things, sacred
Things as well as ancestors’
ashes. A separate
room in the west was for daughters.
Inside the house the area for utilization
was proportionally divided.
The area under the house was used for performing
such work as basket weaving,
cloth weaving, other handicraft work; for keeping
tools for trapping
animals, farming tools,
or pens for keeping such different domestic
animals as cows, buffaloes, pigs, ducks, and chickens.
In
addition, the area under the house was used for setting stretchers
or beds and small low tables for sitting on and lying on when the house owners were tired from work as well as for reception
of visiting guests
during the day.
Thai Phuan houses were small or large depending
upon the range or length
between the house pillars. Normally,
the houses were built with gable-shaped roofs facing along the east-west
direction. That was, the house roofs would slope down towards north and south.
There might be exceptions based on some other limitations
such as the area was inappropriate for building the house according
to the traditional
beliefs and the beliefs as mentioned decreased.
Thus building the house at present depends
upon the house owners’ satisfaction.
The building of the eaves from the house body to make the kitchen,
the bath-room or the shelter
for keeping different
materials and utensils
by lowering the level according
to the proportion
and separating to be other parts was not included
as the rooms of the house. Therefore,
Thai Phuan houses
had been developed
in the kitchen
structure by extending
the eaves of the house.
On the compound
near the house a rice barn was often built for keeping
paddy rice. At present, Thai Phuan people
who have good economic status
build western-style buildings
for living in, or build urban community
style buildings. However,
the houses of Thai Phuan people who have moderate
economic status still remain their house style with high-raised
upper floor as usual. They have moved animal pens from under the house to make their house more sanitary.
In conclusion,
Thai Phuan houses
were valuable dwelling
places with security
and strength. The houses could assure safety
and utilization in the way of
life
of Amphoe Ban Phue people
in Changwat Udon Thani. Although
geographical and social
conditions have changed,
influencing the way of construction,
the house structure
and selection of durable materials
are still in existence. These things are related to the environment
and can well respond to utilization according
to the values
of the house owners.
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