Like any other form of artistic expression in Thailand, architecture has been influenced by many different nations throughout history. Almost every Thai kingdom had its own distinctive architectural outlines, which were formed through contacts with other kingdoms and nations. Thailand took some of the main features of other nations' architecture and transformed it into its own regional variation of spectacular temple and residential building. The cultural exchange has continued until the present day through various forms of artistic and architectural achievements by some of the Thai most respected artists. Thai architecture can be divided in the traditional and contemporary period, although the time line is somewhat difficult to define because many styles and influences overlap.
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| The spires of Wat Arun, Bangkok |
Thai residential architecture is known for its harmonious mixture of functionality and style with one spacious room laid on poles, while the more luxurious versions had several single rooms with elevated hallways. Houses were built on stilts because many of them were situated in the vicinity of rivers, so elevating houses granted protection from floods during rainy seasons and provided shade during hot summer days. The age of traditional residential houses can be determined quite easily: up to the mid 20th century homes were built almost exclusively of teak, a type of wood once very common in Thailand, so if you run into a teak house you will know it is at least fifty years old. The Naga (a mythical sea snake) is a very usual subject of roof decor in Thailand: by positioning it mainly on the roof gable, the Thais believed that it would protect their homes from evil.The Malay influences can be seen throughout all four southernmost Thai regions, where pediments have outnumbered wooden stilts.
Many influences formed Thai traditional temple building: nations like China, India and the Khmers each contributed indirectly to the magnificent art of sacral building in Thailand. During the Sukhotai period, architecture in Thailand was heavily influenced by the Khmers. Sandstone as the primary building material was replaced by bricks in the 12th century, bound with a special mixture of vegetable glue and later covered by carved stone. Later architects used stucco (a mixture of sand, lime, glue and terra cotta material) for covering the brick walls. Northern Thailand, being extremely rich in wood, was a perfect place for contemporary carvers to perfect their skills and apply them to temple decorating. Chinese influence can be seen in the use of ornamental decoration, such as porcelain fragments, which produce the effect of gleaming elegance. Perhaps the best example of such spectacular architecture can be seen at Wat Phra Kaeo (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
Thai temples are actually complexes of several buildings, each of them differing in function. Two main buildings are the uposatha (a chapel), and the wihaan (a storage space for the Buddha images). The naga is also present in many temples and it was usually placed along roof lines built in three levels, which represented the three bastions of Buddhism: The Buddha, the dhamma (philosophy) and the sangha (community). Another common element of traditional sacral architecture is the chedi, a dome-shaped statue that represents a tribute to stability of the religion. Chedis come in all shapes and sizes, with elements easily recognized as Thai-Lao or Sri Lanka, depending on the location of the temple. Some of them, usually a bit square formed, were used as relic storages and were named thaat kraduuk. Schools and clinics were also a part of some of the temples, thereby adding a profane value to sacral Thai architecture.
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| Robot building |
Although the majority of contemporary Thai buildings cannot be described as masterpieces, some of them stand out because of their unique style influenced by several countries, such as China and some colonizing European nations. When Thailand started opening itself towards the West more than a hundred years ago, the entrance for foreign influences became wide open. Trading routes passing through the country during the era of colonies brought a distinguished architectural style: bricked buildings decorated with flashy frontages, so typical of many other countries where sea traders passed through. Buildings in the northern parts of Thailand are heavily influenced by English and French architecture, while the architecture in the south shows significant traces of Portuguese style. Chinese influence can be seen in numerous little shop-houses called hawng thaew, which have the ground floor reserved for shops. The Bauhaus movement, although very far away, had the power of shaping Thai architecture in many ways, but did not result in great aesthetic achievements. The new millennium brought a building material revolution, which had great impact on Thai architecture itself. One of the key examples of the new style is the Robot building in Bangkok, a former Bank of Asia residency. Functionalism remained the most important guideline for Thai architects, but the concept of this kind of building has changed significantly. However, many elements of ancient Thai architecture are preserved in modern buildings of the so-called Neo-Thai style, introduced by the famous architect Rangsan Torsuwan.
