Palaces in Chiang Mai Old City: A Case Study of Chao Singh Kaew’s Palace

Abstract

         Choa Singh Kaew’s Palace is one of five palaces in Chiang Mai which is in intact condition and located inside Chiang Mai town. The completeness and location of the palace make it essential for Chiang Mai town in terms of empirical evidence of Chiang Mai history. This study aims to explore local history and insight about Choa Singh Kaew, which will be useful for conservation planning in the future. The study was carried out in three parts: 1) conducting primary sources and interview 2) surveying existing sites and buildings 3) analysing building conditions by evaluating the integrity of the building, the result of which will be used for conservation planning.

         The study found that the architecture of this palace consists of mixed influences of Northern and Siamese styles.  The building evaluation, divided into four topics, confirm that overall conditions of the building retain original characters, although parts of the building have been renovated, building techniques remain the same. Since the palaces have from time to time been repaired and expanded, the new building in modern style inharmonious with the original is added, making the overall layout lacking concordance. This later development diminishes the notability of building and affects the overall value of the Choa Singh Kaew’s Palace setting.  

         However, on the whole, this palace has been kept in good condition and has outstanding beauty. It is one of the historical buildings in Chiang Mai which should be regarded as valued treasure.