Thailand Travel Pages – Phra Tamnak Doi Tung – Doi Tung Royal Villa, Chiang Rai Province

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Phra Tamnak Doi Tung - Doi Tung Royal Villa:

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The Royal Villa at Doi Tung was the residence of Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother. The villa was built in 1987 and constructed under Her Majesty's supervision to incorporate architectural elements from Switzerland (where Her Royal Highness lived for many years) and from Lanna culture.

Phra Tamnak Doi Tung – Doi Tung Royal Villa garden

When the villa was first proposed the Royal Forest Department planned to give the land that it was to be constructed on as a gift to Her Royal Highness. However, Her Majesty declined the kind offer, stating that as no other Thai could own property in a forest preserve then neither should she. Her Majesty had chosen to build a villa in the area so that she could have a base for her work on the Doi Tung Development Project – a project that works to sustain the lives of local people and the forest in the area. The Royal Villa is therefore not owned, but leased, under a 30 year term – that being the length of the Doi Tung Development Project.

Phra Tamnak Doi Tung – Doi Tung Royal Villa back deck

The villa was very much thought as 'home' by Her Majesty. Indeed on the Royal entrance there is an English saying written in Thai which translates as 'A house is built of brick and stone, a home is built of love alone – Home sweet home.' The exterior of the villa was decorated with reclaimed teak wood, while the interior is paneled with recycled pine wood that came from shipping crates. The highlight of the Royal Villa is on the ceiling of the main hall. Designed by the Astronomy Society of Thailand, the handcrafted wood inlay is dotted with tiny lights representing the position of the constellations on October 21, 1900, the day the Princess Mother was born.

Eager to start the Doi Tung Development Project, Her Majesty didn't even wait for construction of the villa to be completed before taking up residence on November 23, 1988 – ten months after the start of construction.

Over the years, Her Majesty stayed at the Royal Villa on five more occasions for several months at a time. Sadly in 1995, Her Majesty passed away, she was aged 94. Her Majesty was so beloved by the people of Thailand that they gave her the nickname Mae Fa Luang (meaning Royal Mother from the Sky or Heavenly Royal Mother). The Doi Tung Royal Villa is now open to the public.

Getting there
Doi Tung Royal Villa is located adjacent to the Mae Fah Luang Garden in Mae Fa Luang District, it can be reached by taking Highway 110 for about 48 kilometers and turning left onto Highway 1149, which will lead you directly to Doi Tung – the villa is clearly sign posted.