A Hidden Mansion in Phuket Town
Sa-Nguan Mansion, or Limpanon House, is an abandoned old Phuket family house built more than 100 years ago. It is hidden at the intersection of Yaowarat Road and Phang Nga Road and is probably the most mysterious and least-known ancient mansion in Phuket. For a long time, the door of the โtunnelโ leading to this mansion was open, but it has been locked for years now, and probably too many people have tried to sneak in. The light is sometimes on, but every door or window is closed. A bit eerie.
โOf the Roomโ is the name given to Ang Mo Lao Mansion because of its size and the many rooms inside. This house was built around World War II. Looking through the long dark tunnel locked on Yaowarat Road, you will see potted plants in front, which is the image that is memorable for this house. Behind the potted plants, you will see a Corinthian-style arch with column capitals. The roof has stucco mouldings in the shape of flowers. The roof is made of ancient banana leaf tiles with hidden patterns, but it has mostly already collapsed.
The grandeur and beauty of this Ang Mor Lao is the result of the hard work of the Limpanon family, an old mining family on Phuket Island, which has demonstrated the architectural identity of Phuket during the mining boom for people today to admire. And if you look deeper than the building itself, this Ang Mor Lao also reflects the history of the perseverance of a group of Chinese people who travelled to seek a new life on Phuket Island, starting with just a mat and a pillow, until they were able to build a large mansion of their own.
Additional Information
โSong Hongโ is the local name for this Ang Mor Lao mansion. The name comes from the size and the number of rooms, as there are two main rooms in the building. Ang Mor Lao refers to a Western-style mansion, a legacy from the tin mining boom era, which can be seen in several places around Phuket. This particular mansion was the residence of the Lim Panunt family. After the family moved out, the house was left abandoned, and its condition deteriorated over time. Later, it became a well-known abandoned mansion in Phuket.
The architectural style of this Ang Mor Lao mansion is influenced by the residences of the Lim Panunt family, who were prominent tin mine owners in Phuket. The mansion stands out as a unique symbol of Phuketโs heritage, with its distinctive Western-style design. Although it is now in a dilapidated state, the mansion still attracts attention from those interested in the history of the islandโs Chinese-Thai community and Phuketโs early days as a tin mining hub. The mansion is a testament to the prosperity of the Lim Panunt family and the legacy of Phuketโs tin mining era.
Interesting vocabulary: Ang mo lao ็บขๆฏๆฅผ means a Western-style building. It is a combination of three Hokkien words: ็บข ang = red, ๆฏ mo = hair (red-haired people mean Westerners), and ๆฅผ lao = house.
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