As with many important Thai tales, this one starts in the Royal court. King Chulalongkorn (best known to foreigners as the royal student of Anna, the British teacher in the Royal Thai court), signed the Treaty of Chiang Mai in 1883, permitting foreign entities; including the British Borneo Company to harvest teak trees across the vast forests of Northern Thailand.
Anna’s son Louis Leonowens was educated alongside the then Prince Chulalongkorn at the Royal residence in Bangkok and the childhood friendship proved invaluable to both Louis and the British Trading firm, The Borneo Company.
Following a commission in the Royal Thai Army where Louis distinguished himself for his leadership and bravery, he was engaged by The Borneo Company as Superintendent in Chiang Mai and in 1886 opened the company’s office along the Ping River.
For those first European settlers, Chiang Mai in the 1880s offered glory and hardship in equal measure. Many months were spent in the forests, felling and moving logs for transportation along the river systems south to Bangkok. R&R back in Chiang Mai offered more company, greater comforts and social activities which centered around The Gymkhana Club where members played tennis, polo and squash. Louis was one of eleven founding members.
In those early days, Chiang Mai was quite different from today, as by Royal decree the Ping River divided the city into the Thai or “Siamese”; as they were referred to by foreigners; residing on the West bank and foreigners on the East Bank of the River. The Borneo company was not only home to three sprawling teak houses each with more than 100 Pillars but a fourth, 137 Pillars House, as we know it today, was moved from the west side of the river to the company compound. Louis lived in the house during his time in Chiang Mai and subsequent company managers resided here after 1927. It remained part of the Company headquarters until World War II.
In December 1941 the Japanese commandeered all The Borneo Company’s Chiang Mai assets including this house and while many of the Company’s Chiang Mai staff escaped to freedom by walking to Burma, William Bain and David Fleming McFie were arrested and transported to Bangkok where they were imprisoned for the remainder of the war.
In the post WW II years, the Company returned to North Thailand but sold its Chiang Mai headquarters to the aforementioned William Bain. William was a Scotsman educated at Harrow who at age 23 fled his family’s expectations for Thailand where he joined the Company and rose to the position of Managing Director. He married a local Mon girl, and together they raised a family of two daughters and two sons. Son Jack followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the company and raising his own family on these grounds.
The latest chapter in the long and fabled history of this unique house began in 2002 when Bangkok born Panida Wongphanlert came on holiday to Chiang Mai and fell in love with the house known to locals as Baan Dam, or “Black House.”
In her own words, “We were charmed at first sight by 137 Pillars House. As we learned the true, fascinating story of this house and The Borneo Company, we knew our family should share this slice of Thai history with the world”.
For more information and reservations, please contact 137 Pillars House on:
Tel: +66 53 249 339
Fax: +66 53 247 780
Email: stay@137pillarshotels.com
Website: www.137pillarschiangmai.com or www.slh.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/137pillarshouse.com