Vongburi House

This two-storey mansion was built by a local prince at a time when Phrae was a semi-autonomous kingdom – something like a city state. Local ruler Phra Buritah built the house for his daughter, who was born on a Tuesday. The color pink is associated with Tuesdays, so Phra Buritah ordered the house to be painted pink.

The ruler and his family made their fortune in teakwood. Massive tracts of forest were ceded to them, and most of the trees were cut down and sold. Today, teakwood is strictly regulated, and there are relatively few grand-scale teak mansions like this in the country.

Phrae has since fully assimilated into mainstream Thai society, but the house still remains in family hands. Tourists come to admire the intricate carvings that adorn the gables and balconies (a style known as gingerbread), before heading into the walk-in museum. Each room inside the mansion is filled with period furnishings and antiques, most of which are either made of teak or relate to the teak industry in some way.

Many of the rooms are pink like the exterior. The colors may seem garish to some visitors, but it’s a genuine cultural phenomenon. Each day of the week has its color, and locals like to remind their neighbors which color of the week belongs to them. Visit the house on a Tuesday and you’re likely to see more than a few people wearing pink shirts as well.

Inside, a small gift shop sells souvenirs, including T-shirts and jewelry. A silversmith workshop also operates here sometimes, when visitors can watch the experts making ornaments and housewares.