Abstract:
This research focuses on the living
adaptability of Tai-Phuan Ethnic whose
original settlement was in Xieng Khouang, The
Lao PDR. Two hundred years ago, a large
number of Tai-Phuan Ethnic had migrated to
the Central Thailand. Both the Tai-Phuan
populations in the Lao PDR and in Thailand
had faced with diverse changes in their living
conditions and have adapted to the changing
environment while maintaining parts of their
architectural culture. By using field survey
method in combination with in-depth
interview, the research focuses on the villages
of Muang Pak and Muang Khoune in Xiang
Khouang, the Lao PDR as well as the villages
of Ban Makam-Lom and Ban Rang-Bua in
Supanburi province of Thailand.
Concentrating on their living adaptability, the
research framework of Cultural Ecology as
well as Sustainable Vernacular Architecture
and Environment are to be used. The research
deals with issues of adaptability in natural
environment, ways of living, physical
conditions of village planning and vernacular
architecture. It is a comparison between Tai-
Phuan in the Lao PDR and in Thailand.
Faced with war, Tai-Phuan villagers at Muang
Pak and Muang Khoune in Xieng Khouang, the
Lao PDR had to leave their homeland for
three decades. In 1975, after the war, they
re-settled in their original land, and have been
able to maintain much of their environmental,
ecological, architectural as well as domestic
culture. On the other hand, Tai-Phuans who
had migrated and settled in Thailand two
centuries ago could maintain only parts of
their domestic culture and particular ways of
living, while their architectural culture had
totally been transformed. The influence of
traditional Thai house had overshadowed and
replaced their vernacular architecture, while
their village environment has gradually been
transformed by the agricultural policy of Thai
Development Plan. While their rituals and
believes remain, many of their architectural
and environmental heritages have gradually
faded away.
The research thus focuses on the changes of
living conditions for the Tai-Phuan Ethnic both
in the Lao PDR and in Thailand. It addresses
the influences that the new multi-cultural and
multi-ethnic communities have on Tai-Phuan
ethnic group. It attempts to answer the
questions: with resettlement, why and how
traditions are still possible?
From the comparative study of living
adaptability of those two areas, it was found
that for Tai-Phuan Ethnic group only the age
of the settlement cannot truly reflect the
traditional value of living. Holistic study and
various degrees of influences of the new
culture should be concerned when evaluating
the remains of traditional value as well as
living adaptability.
