พิพิธภัณฑ์พระยารัษฎานุประดิษฐ์มหิศรภักดี

The former residence of Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahitsaraphakdi (Kaw Sim Bee na Ranong), governor of Trang from 1890 under King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), is now run as a museum. He moved the provincial capital to Kantang and, in 1899, introduced the first rubber tree seedlings grown in Thailand — the start of the country’s rubber industry.

The house follows the raised timber form common to southern Thai official residences of the period: a two-storey structure lifted on posts, with the ground floor enclosed by pierced concrete ventilation blocks rather than solid walls, and the upper storey given over to living space wrapped in verandahs.

Fretwork panels like these, set into the gable ends and above the verandah rails, are a standard fitting on a house of this class — they let air move through the upper storey without opening the shutters. The turned and cut-out balusters along the verandah railings serve the same decorative role as the lattice, breaking up what would otherwise be a plain timber rail.

At the time these photos were taken, the house was partway through a repair — new, unweathered timber cladding and structural posts are visible in several places alongside the original grey-weathered boards, and a section of scaffolding stood against one wall.