Re-utilizing Space: Accommodating Tourists in Homestay Houses in Northern Thailand

Abstract

This paper discusses the way in which rural houses in Northern Thailand are adapted to meetemerging demand for tourist accommodation in a private ‘homestay’. It is based on qualitative fieldwork inthree homestay villages in Northern Thailand. The research combines the studies of vernacular tradition,tourism and ‘home’ in order to explain the changes in homestays by analyzing the interrelationships betweenspace use, social interaction and the meaning of home and homestay. The findings reveal that the normsconcerning guest space, patterns of life and the perceived meaning of home in the Northern Thai context playsignificant roles in adjusting the lives and outlooks of residents, as well as their space, to homestays. While thishas positive implications in terms of re-using space to supplement the family income, homestays also bringabout profound shifts in the moral values and meanings of home. The research differs from other home andhomestay studies as it bridges the three fields of architecture, tourism and the study of home. It therebycontributes to our understanding of transformation and continuity within a vernacular environment and traditionundergoing significant internal and external forces of change.