Roofing of Lanna Housing

The roof itself is made of krabuang din pao, a fired clay panelling. Each panel measures approximately 10cm wide by 12cm long and is folded slightly to provide for its assembly into the roof as a whole. Because of their thinness, two layers of panelling are used on the roof. Besides fired clay, thatched grass, woven gum tree leaves, and semi-thick short wood panels are also at times used for roofing.

Between the roofs of the two structures forming the Ruan Galae there is a water gutter, inclined downwards towards the rear of the house, to channel the water flowing off the roof away from the house. Called the hang this gutter is more often than not carved of an entire tree.

Ruan Galae are often built according to the rotation of the earth around the sun, with the width facing east and west and the length (which forms the front and back of the house) facing north and south. The most important ceremony in the house building process is the pak sao huan, in which the most important pillars of the house sao eak and sao toa respectively are planted. Neighbours with names pertaining to wealth, money, power, or constancy are invited to place the two pillars in their respective holes. Throughout the life-time of the house, the pillars must be treated with special care by the owner of the house in order to ensure safety and protection from evil.

From my reading and observation, there is two type of roofing structure which is v-shape and spire. This roofing type of architecture already installed from the time of the Lanna Kingdom.

                        V-shape structure (galae) can be seen at the ridge of the roof.

                          The spire type of galae can be seen at the roof kips.