Dear Sirs,
With reference to the item in the Pattaya Mail issue of Friday June 3rd regarding the ‘Stonehenge’ arrangements of maidaeng wooden trunks, some of the information given there is incorrect.
According to the information I have of the U.K. Timber Association, its properties are the same as that of teak, except for its density, that of maidaeng being 0.993 and that of teak 0.641. Both have a durability of 1 on a scale of five, and similarly permeability of 1. Durability signifies resistance to decay and 1 indicates that it is extremely resistant. Permeability signifies resistance as regards preservative treatment; i.e., it can only absorb a very small amount even after long treatment, thus it will not absorb water, in fact its density is such that it sinks.
As for its cost, tongue & groove planks 10cm x 2cm are, or were, available at 100 baht per metre at timber yards in Chacheongsao.
My personal experience of this comes from having bought, about ten years ago, the whole skeleton framework of a two floor house built of maidaeng in a village northeast of Sakon Nakhorn in Isaan, consisting of 12 pillars 6m x 0.17m x 0.19m and 6 similar ones about half a metre longer together with side planking and cross beams for 75,000 baht. Thus in my house, in mock Tudor style with exposed external pillars, the floors are of maidaeng, plus the ceiling of the lounge and balconies, rails, staircase, doors & frames, and some furniture.
Yours faithfully,
Roger Womersley,
Koh Sichang
