Thailand’s tourist-free teak town Phrae: how its ornately carved wooden buildings tell the story of a place seemingly lost in time
- Sleepy town Phrae was a semi-independent kingdom and a major player in Thailand’s teak trade, and still has some of the country’s best teak architecture
- Explore its serene temples and museums, bustling markets, and workshops where you can make your own tie-dye T-shirt
Phrae, around 550km (342 miles) north of Bangkok and 200km southeast of Chiang Mai, is a town seemingly lost in time, and almost completely ignored by tourists.
This is good news for anyone eager for a taste of Thai heritage, as Phrae (population about 15,000) was once at the heart of a booming teak trade, and still boasts some of the finest examples of teak architecture in the country.
Phrae’s attractions include tranquil temple compounds, bustling fresh markets and workshops in which mo hom shirts – the collarless denim shirts worn in rural towns throughout Thailand – are produced.
Phrae functioned as a semi-independent kingdom ruled by a succession of sovereigns until the late 19th century, when it came under the growing influence of Siam. Its population is an ethnic mix that includes Tai Lue – who migrated there from Yunnan province, in China – Kayin and Shan, who came from Burma at the end of the 19th century to fell trees in the nearby teak forests.
Phrae’s old town, which is shaped like a conch and is only a couple of square kilometres, is surrounded by an earthen wall, which can be climbed for views across the town.
