The construction of wooden houses raised on stilts, which help to escape floods and pests, is a phenomenon found across Southeast Asia. Over many centuries each country has developed its own unique tradition. Thailand is no exception and, indeed, each of the country's four main regions has developed its own distinctive style, making the wooden houses of Thailand among the most widely diverse and beautiful examples of Southeast Asian architecture. The Thai House not only traces the history of these versatile buildings, but also explains the stages in their construction, the beliefs that underlie the positioning of every architectural element, and the complex ceremonies celebrating their construction. Beautiful photographs and authoritative texts celebrate a wide variety of Thai houses.