New guest rooms - Indian style

**toddaniels** · 02-06-2015, 11:35 AM

Here's a thought simon. .

Why not just source the waterproof canvas here in thailand, download a teepee wall/floor pattern and have it stitched up here? Surely, you could do it cheaper than importing them. Last time I checked, they sold paint here too, so you could get someone to decorate the outside with your novel thai cartoon idea. A brief google showed companies scattered all over the country who will sell AND stitch up the canvas in any pattern you give them.

Conversely, if indeed most of your clientele are just lookin' to spend the nite, you could maximize the space with something like this;

**Simon43** · 02-06-2015, 12:44 PM

Tod, the Japanese ' coffin' bedrooms is one idea that I toyed with a few years ago. I think it is a viable concept for airport, overnight accommodation. But the style doesn't fit well with my current B&B.

The cost to buy and import these teepees from an experienced company that has made more than 20,000 of them over the years, is quite reasonable, (even with the import tax).

As for making them in Thailand, I have nightmares of some old Issan woman stitching my teepees together using a rusty sewing machine, whilst her husband paints childish images on the material using a pot of paint bought from the local hardware store.

Sorry, no way would I use any Thai person to do this - I'll buy from the professionals in the USA.

Update:
I just saw your comment

'decorate the outside with your novel thai cartoon idea'

I don't think you should call the Thai classical Ramakien a 'Thai cartoon'. Different kettle of fish.

**toslti** · 02-06-2015, 01:07 PM

Termites?

**toddaniels** · 02-06-2015, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by toslti

Termites?

Since when do termites eat canvas? He can probably even use bamboo instead of lodge pole pine for the support poles.

Depending on the size he'll need 15 poles to hold the teepee up and two for the smoke flaps (or at least back in the day when I did re-enacting that's what I had) and my teepee was almost 16 feet in diameter. It had a twin sized log bed, chest of drawers, a small cook stove, lantern hooks etc. They are surprisingly large inside. I stayed a week at a time in there without any discomfort often times in sub-zero weather AND sporadic snow/rain. They're pretty darned snug..

The biggest problem is getting the floor tied tight where it comes up the wall. Canvas has a LOT of stretch to it, and due to the gap between the short wall attached to the floor and the main wall of the teepee it needs to be taunt so it can provide upward air flow without flapping during the slightest breeze. That could be a mozzy problem for you too though.

Sorry, I mis-read the word Ramakien as Doraemon, my bad...

**chassamui** · 02-06-2015, 02:48 PM

Like the idea of the log effect gas fire in the middle. Not sure how these smoke vents in the roof would cope with Thai monsoons though.
I have stayed in luxury tents on the Masai Mara game reserve. A place called Governors Camp. Four poster bed with mozzie screen and a partition wall at the back for ablutions.
Would luxury western style tentage be easier to build and maintain with a more flexible footprint?
Good luck with it. I doubted the potential of the first build but you proved the doubters wrong then and will prolly do the same with this one.
Either way, I look forward to following the build.

**Simon43** · 02-06-2015, 02:49 PM

Sorry, I mis-read the word Ramakien as Doraemon, my bad..

Apology not necessary.

Yes, I will be buying 16 feet diameter teepees. I think this size is quite adequate for 2 adults for a single night of stay, (everyone only stays one night at my B&B, either because they have are coming/going to the nearby airport, or because they can't stand me after one night...)

I think I can forget the fire in the centre, maybe put the stocked minibar there instead.

I will indeed use bamboo for the poles - that is recommended in these parts of the world, and cheap to buy as well. The teepee actually uses a total of 24 poles.

The garden location is well-sheltered and not prone to strong wind, (unless guests have eaten somtam). I will get the first teepee erected and then see how I need to mod it to keep the mozzies out.

**Davis Knowlton** · 02-06-2015, 02:57 PM