ACADEMIC JOURNAL of ARCHITECTURE

A Housing Preparation of Construction Labour 4 Companies in Bangkok before Retirement

Thosspol Nilprem — 2023-12-27

This article examines the housing preparations of construction labours who reside in labours camps for an extended period but are unable to continue living there after retirement. The study focuses on construction labours employed in construction projects and residing in labour camps managed by four case study companies. These companies are large construction contractors registered in the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The objective is to analyze the housing preparations of Thai and Burmese construction labours before retirement and compare the differences between those who have housing preparations and those who do not. The research involves surveying a sample of 400 Thai construction labours and 400 Burmese construction labours, selected from a total population of 2,471 construction labours in the case study companies.

Based on the study of housing preparedness among the Thai construction labor force before retirement, 84.25% of individuals aged between 31 and 45, who are part of the labor force, require repairs for deteriorated and dilapidated housing conditions. Similarly, 67.25% of Burmese laborers aged below 30 have a need for internal improvements. Although these individuals have rightful ownership or inheritance of their original dwellings, most of them have not planned for their housing situation before retirement. This is primarily due to stagnant income growth, obstacles related to job positions, duration of employment in Thailand. Among the labor force without housing preparedness, 16.75% are female Thai laborers and 32.75% are male Burmese laborers, none of whom have any rightful ownership of their original dwellings. The majority of them face challenges in income growth, gender-related issues, job positions, and duration of employment in Thailand.

The research reveals that young construction labours without housing preparations lack housing rights. Owning a home is challenging due to affordability issues, especially for those with low incomes. Renting housing after retirement is recommended to address this issue. Homeownership doesn't guarantee housing security, as it involves long-term debt and income instability. Renting may be a better option in the long run for this group.

Ordinary Urban Heritage: Pattern and Transformation of Thai Spirit Houses, Case Study in Bangrak District

Kittisak Ruangmun — 2023-12-27

Ordinary Urban Heritage is an alternative view of Culture Heritage. In contrast to the international conservation concept that focuses on national and official heritage, the concept of Ordinary Urban Heritage esteems the cultural heritage inherent in the everyday activities of ordinary people. The Thai spirit houses, also known as Saan Phra Phum, have held a revered position within Thai society for a long time. This spirit house represents the belief of the dwellings of guardian spirits, safeguarding homes and buildings, which this belief has transmission from generation to generation. but these cultural significances are overlooked in the context of Cultural Heritage today. Furthermore, they face the risk of destruction by the transformation of community space. This article elucidates the potential of Saan Phra Phum to assume an ordinary urban heritage. By sorting them against five selection criteria — the amount of time that the heritage has existed, their association with ordinary people, repetitive appearances or clustering, adaptability to urbanization, and the existence of heritage. it becomes evident that they merit recognition as Ordinary Urban Heritage. Moreover, the Thai spirit houses serve as valuable representations that shed light on patterns and transformations occurring amid the processes of urbanization and multicultural societies in the Bangrak District.

Values and Changes of the Malay Vernacular Houses: A Case of Tammalang Canal Community, Satun Province

Charida Pating — 2023-12-27

The study aimed to investigate the changes in Malay vernacular houses in the Tammalang Canal Community. This community is in Satun Province, which is adjacent to the southernmost border of Thailand on the Andaman Sea coast. To the west, the community connects to the northernmost areas of Malaysia, including Perlis, Kedah, Penang, and Perak. It can be considered the origin of the Malay vernacular houses on the Andaman coast. The research had three primary objectives: (1) to understand the Malay vernacular houses in terms of environment and location, architecture, and uses; (2) to identify the value and authenticity of the houses; (3) and to study the factors affecting the change of the houses to propose guidelines for conservation and rehabilitation. The research method included collecting documentary data. This data will be used as a database referring to the characteristics of Malay vernacular houses. Field data were collected through interviews and surveys, taking photographs and recordings. The research selected Malay vernacular houses aged 100 to 40 years in the amount of 4 houses, which still show their identities, as case studies. Later, the collected data was analyzed to classify the types of houses. The research conclusions included understanding values, the transformation of Malay vernacular houses, and the factors of change and adaptation in the Tammalang Canal community.

A Review of Architectural Design of Thai Railway Station

Lapyote Prasittisopin — 2023-12-27

In the current day, having a well-functioning infrastructure system is becoming increasingly crucial, and as a result, countries must develop their railway systems to accommodate the growing demand for transporting goods and people. The majority of the rail system in Thailand still operates as a single-track system, causing delays in train schedules and the need for frequent stops to allow other trains to pass. Currently, long-distance train rides can be expensive and slow compared to flights or buses. Therefore, there is a clear need for Thailand to develop a high-speed railway system to meet the demands of the public. As a result, railway stations must be developed in along with the railway system to ensure that the needs are sufficiently met.

A literature review of railway stations and architectural design analysis from theses and drafts for construction theory between 1981 and 2022 emphasizes the importance of long-distance and high-speed railway stations. The study found that the architectural design of railway stations across the country generally consists of buildings no higher than four floors, with floor space ranging from 1,000 to 91,000 square meters, and the number of platforms ranging from two to eight. The roof structure was found to be a prominent feature of the station's design in many different forms, which can affect the functionality of the station in the hot and humid regions of Thailand.

Vernacular Architecture Technology for Chinese Row Dwellings Construction in Sisaket Province

warayut inaram — 2023-12-27

This research was aimed to investigate and study the over one-hundred-year-old Chinese vernacular Row Dwellings still exist in Sisaket province. Data was collected from the site and in-depth interviews with settlers and community members and leaders were done by the researchers to acquire both background information and folk wisdom related to architecture style, dwelling structure, materials, application, and construction technology. The result showed that Chinese vernacular row dwellings in Sisaket municipal area were one-or two-storey built mainly out of wood and clay, so called “clay house”. The dwellings were built by Chinese technicians settling down in Northeast region and were divided into 2 types based on purpose: (1) residential dwelling, and (2) commercial clay dwelling. Both dwellings had wood structure and contained adobe brick in which the latter was to support the weight. The commercial clay dwellings were built townhouse-liked to store products, especially the high-value ones. The dwellings were highly secured from crime and well-prevented from fire, the latter property was due to the non-flammability of adobe brick mainly used in construction. Adobe brick was common in local area, thus reducing construction time. The dwellings are currently in ruins because high humidity leads to deterioration of adobe brick which is the main construction component. Some dwellings have been reconstructed with concrete.