The early 20th century teak industry left northern Thailand scarred but also peppered with magnificent examples of local architecture, seen on its ‘teak trail’ The teak tree is a tropical hardwood native to parts of India and Southeast Asia. Prized for its durability and natural oils, it was once highly sought after for the construction of boats and furniture. In the late 19th century the European powers, having colonised its neighbours, turned their focus towards Thailand’s untapped teak reserves.
This led to an uneasy alliance between logging firms, the Siamese government and local rulers – an alliance marked by suspicion, double dealing and rebellion. Keen to learn more, I embark on a journey along Thailand’s “teak trail” through the country’s northern Lanna region, to better understand how this plain-looking tree gave rise to the Thai nation as we know it today. My starting point is the Lanna Traditional House Museum, in Chiang Mai , which features several traditional teak buildings, with their high pitched roofs and raised floors, that once stood elsewhere.
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