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.