25/03/2021
CORONA VERNADOC 2020 is an international project during the COVID-19 social distancing time. We, as a part of VERNADOC network that's based in Phuket are proud to participate in this by sending in the drawings of our hometown.
Be healthy, everyone.
1) China Inn, no.20, Thalang road, Oldtown Phuket, Thailand.
Main entrance doors and windows
Building type : Currency exchange(past), cafe’ and restaurant(present).
by Watanyoo Moolthongsuk, Phirawat Saengchalie
Date of measuring : 17 July 2020
Notes : The following information is translated from the Thai signage installed in front of the building.
“China Inn is an over-century-old building originally owned by Ong Bun Tiam, the father-in-law of Tan Ma Siang, one of the most prominent governors during Phuket tin-mining era. It initially functioned as currency exchange and money transfer service.
The dominant feature of this Chinese shophouse is its front façade. On the ground floor, the double-layered wooden front doors are flanked by a set of wooden windows on either side. The wooden panels that decorate them are carefully engraved into delicate floral patterns and some other Chinese auspicious motives then finished with lacquerwork and gold paint. Above each window is a half-moon signage written in Chinese— ‘This place provides money transfer services to Xiamen, Hokkien(Fujian), China’. The internal doors are blessed with Chinese calligraphy art saying— ‘may business flourish and prosper’. The external doors are decorated with hibiscus which, according to Chinese culture, symbolises wealth and auspiciousness.
The next owner of the building was Khun Sit Tantawanich who spent his childhood here.
Then it was abandoned for awhile before finally being taken care of by people who loved and knew its architectural values. It took over 2 years to conserve and repair with the goal to keep it as original as possible.
In 2008, China Inn won the Association of Siamese Architects’ Conservation Award given to it by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.”
Credit : Khun Supat Promjan
2) House no.65, Dibuk road, Oldtown Phuket, Thailand.
Main entrance doors and windows(External)
by Watanyoo Moolthongsuk
Building type : Residence.
Date of measuring : 27 December 2020
Original owner : Hoseng Sae-ong
Present owner : Weerachai Pranweeraphaibul
This 87-year-old Chinese shophouse belongs to an original Phuket Peranakan family who had it built during the peak of the tin-mining era. It is located on Dibuk road, the lane lined with luxury mansions and houses of tin-mining tycoons of that time. And Hoseng Sae-ong, the original owner, was one of them. It was later sold to Khun Parnnee Bamrungphol and was under her care for 30 years before the original owner’s grandson, Khun Weerachai Pranweeraphaibul, finally bought his family’s heritage back.
Fortunately, through the years, the house has always been in good condition and suffered little serious damage. The main structures and elements have never been modified. Similar to traditional Peranakan houses, the front façade is the main attraction. Typically, the main entrance is designed to look like a dragon’s face, with the main gate represents its mouth, and the windows are the eyes with the openings above as the eyebrows. This particular opening design is also called ‘bat’ which symbolises wealth in Chinese culture.
Even though the double-layered entrance wooden doors are simpler than the usual elaborate front doors of the same era, their golden floral patterns at the lower panels are timelessly lovely. And the amber oval-shaped, starburst patterned glass on the upper panel of one door is a rare classic. On the other side, the Phikul-flowered glass is, although equally beautiful, just the substitute for the broken original. The two lions on the upper corners of the door frame, the number 65 and Feng Shui Yin-Yang symbol in the middle are also another additional.
Interestingly, the internal plain solid wooden doors are equipped with a set of full-length antique brass door latch and yellowish crystal-brass door handles. Above the doors is a rare black and white portrait of Thailand’s beloved King Rama V.
The windows and openings are decorated with lacquered and gilded, wood carving panels. On the outside wall the opening frames follow the traditional bat-shaped design. But on the inside wall, they become just normal square frames completed with wood panels engraved in another floral pattern different from the outside.
