US offers help in renovating old Trang ruler's heritage mansion

US Charge d'Affaires Michael Heath made the offer following his recent visit to the Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi Museum in the southern province’s Kantang district. He said the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) could be used to help renovate the mansion, which is more than a century old.

Heath said Kantang is a unique showcase of Chinese, Malay and Thai heritage as seen in the local food, shrines and residents, adding that he hoped to see the district bustling with tourists again after the Covid-19 crisis.

He said the US fund had already assisted 20 heritage projects in Thailand, including Lanna traditional houses in Chiang Mai, Phi Man Cave archaeological excavations in Mae Hong Son, and flood protection for Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya.

He added that the AFCP considers projects proposed by the government and private sectors every year.

Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi has deteriorated after more than 100 years of exposure to tropical weather conditions, according to local reports.

The house is now owned and operated as a museum by the Trang ruler’s descendants, so is not eligible for government funding.

Phraya Ratsadanupradit (1857–1913) was a Thai-Chinese provincial administrator renowned for developing Trang's agriculture and education system.