Ban Roi Pee Tian Shi

Baan Roi Pee Tian Shi is a Rama V-era merchant house on Dupkadee Road in central Ranong, built around 1890 by Tian Sue, a relative by marriage of the Na Ranong family that governed the province through the 19th century. Entry is free and the house is open daily 09:00-16:00.

Tian Sue’s wife, Chai Luan, was the granddaughter of Phraya Ratsadanupradit (Kho Sim Bi), the governor of Trang best remembered for introducing rubber cultivation to Thailand; Tian Sue himself was connected to Kho Su Jiang, the Ranong governor who built the family’s fortune in the region’s tin trade. The house reflects that wealth: a two-storey structure with a wooden upper floor over a concrete-and-brick lower floor, arranged around a central courtyard garden. The courtyard floor is paved with brick and antique lotus-leaf tiles, a decorative style typical of the Sino-Portuguese architecture found across southern Thailand’s old tin-trading towns.

Inside, the rooms hold generations of family photographs documenting Ranong’s history, alongside household objects that mix Thai, Chinese, and European styles, a direct record of the Hokkien Chinese merchant families who settled Ranong to work the tin mines and rose into the local administration. Displays also touch on Baba-Nyonya (Peranakan) dress and regional food, the same hybrid culture visible in Phuket’s and Trang’s old towns from the same trading era.

Insider Tip: The house is small enough to combine easily with other central Ranong stops in a single morning: Raksawarin hot springs and public park is about a 5-minute drive away, and the old Governor’s Residence sits nearby too.

Watch out: There’s no ticket booth or fixed staff presence at all hours. If the house appears closed during posted hours, call ahead (08 1088 2629) rather than assuming it’s shut for good.

Most visits run 20-30 minutes given the compact layout. Floors and courtyard paving are uneven in places, so wear shoes with a grip rather than sandals.

Getting There

Baan Roi Pee Tian Shi is located at 7 Dupkadee Road, central Ranong. View on Google Maps.