House compound

A few decades ago, there was a ceremony involving monks when building a house and digging the hole for the main pillar. Nowadays there are still ceremonies when raising new houses or big buildings. The monks are supposed to give chance to the workers, the inhabitants and bring luck for the business.

In Isan area, the ceremony to commemorate a new house ("KEUN BAAN MAI" - ขึ้นบ้านใหม่) is often held the three first years.
	Buddhist altar

	In Thai houses, there is often a room reserved for the Buddhist altar. On this altar, there are Buddha statues, Buddhist amulets. Thai people never buy Buddha statues but rent them. Pictures of the Royal Family are also present.
Buddhist altar

Sometimes, especially in shops or restaurants, such altars are fixed on the wall. "NANG KWAK" (นางกวัก), spirit supposed to bring money in the household, or Buddha statues with garlands often stand on such altars.
	Buddhist altar

	According to Thai belief, it is good omen to have bees hive in one's home. Thai people would leave them alone.
Bees hive

Some home Buddhist altars contain many Buddha statues so it is still a home or a Buddhist temple?
	Buddhist altar

Every Thai house compound has a spirit house ("SAN PHRA PHUM" - ศาลพระภุมูมิ). The spirit house size is related to the owner's house. The biggest it is, the biggest the spirit house shall be. Every morning the owner of the house shall feed the spirits.

	Spirit houses are often installed in a corner of the garden. The spirit house shadow shall never overlay the main house.
Spirit House

It was mandatory to install a spirit house when building a new house. In fact the house is made for the spirit of the land. It calms the spirit and assure good blessings for the owner of the house.
	Spirit House

	Due to hot weather, Thai people enjoy sitting in open pavillons ("SALA" - ศาลา) in the garden.
Pavilion

Many Thai houses possess such similar benches, where the family sits during evening time in order to chat, eat snacks and enjoy local drinks. Those travertine benches (ม้าหินขัด) are good benches to endure heat, cold, rain.
	Benches

	Thai houses can have opulent green gardens. Due to the heat, having a green is a difficult task.
Garden

Nowadays Thai people build a wall around their home. A gate allows entering. The wall prevents robbers to enter in the home. Sometimes at nighttime, owners leave dogs wandering in the garden to frighten potential robbers. Dogs would bark if somedody enters in the house compound.
	Beautiful Gate

	Dragon water jars (โอ่งมังกร) are famous for its dragon pattern. In the past, skilled ceramists, mostly from Chinese descendents, made them.
Dragon water jar

Those jars can store rain water. Nowadays huge jars are covered by wooden or metal lids protecting the water from falling leaves.
	Dragon water jar

	Multicolored flowers always highlights the beauty of Thai private gardens.
Flowers

A water jar with lotus flowers and tadpoles is often present in Thai private gardens.
	Dragon water jar

Many houses don't have a kitchen similar to westerner model. No table, no chairs, people eat in a friendship way on the floor. Men always sit down on the floor with legs crossed and women always squat or have the legs behind the body. When somebody goes by somebody else, he always lowers the head and the top of the body. It is a sign of respect.

	Many Thai houses have no bathroom similar to westerner model. There is no shower, no hot water. In Thai traditional bathroom, there is a big container for the water. Thai people bathe by throwing water on the body. Sometimes the container is outside the house.
Bathroom

Thai houses don't contain oven similar to western kitchens. Thai people cook with frying pans. In almost all kitchens there is also a rice cooker. Fridges are getting more and more popular.

Thai people wear clothes ("PHA THUNG" - ผ้าถุง) to hide the body. Most toilets are similar to Turkish style toilets. There a container filled with water and a cup. The cup filled with water replaces the flush of water.
	Bathroom

Every year in December and Janauary, Thai shops (banks, groceries...) offer Thai calendars to their customers. Most of the time, banks offer Thai calendars featuring pictures of the current Thai King Rama IX. Groceries shops offer Thai calendars featuring popular Thai actors or Thai actresses. Those calendars display the Thai public holidays, the Buddhist holy days and often the Chinese traditional festivals. Those calendars are displayed in Thai houses.

Thai calendar

Beautiful traditional ornaments are featured on the house exterior walls or inside the garden.
	Ornament

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