“King Rama VI Era Historical Architecture”

This large, old wooden house on the beach of Ao Suan Yai was once the private residence of Luang Phromphakdi, the forefather of the Tavedikul family, who relocated from Prachantakhirikhet province to Ko Mak in 1904. It was at this time he started his coconut plantation called Suan YaiŽ. The house was finished in 1932; therefore, it is around 80 years old now. The large house has two storeys tall and features a hip roof, as was the architectural style during reign of the King Rama VI.
Nowadays, the descendants of Luang Phromphakdi still reside in the house, which has seen some renovations to undo the wear and tear of the years. Even so, the original style and architecture of the structure has been well preserved. Behind the house, there is another aging building that was constructed in 1953. It has since been turned into a rubber plant and is open to the public for visiting.
The old rubber plant, a two-storeyed concrete building, is supported by wood panel walls and floors. Back in the old days, after the rubber plant workers collected rubber latex and processed the liquid to make natural rubber sheets, then those sheets would be hung to dry on the racks and were smoked with a wood fire afterwards.

If you are in Ko Mak, do not pass up the chance to see the old residence of Luang Phromphakdi. Not just for its architectural value, but also for its historical significance to the island. It gives us a window into the island’s past.