Abstract
Limited resources for construction material in the Mae-Hae region, a remote Northern Thailand, acted as an impetus to introduce a new way for constructing their dwellings. The new construction material brought new construction methodology, namely, using earth and bamboo which are indigenous materials, readily available for them to use. Using indigenous material at Mae-Hae region was most ecological and logical method for establishing sustainable dwellings both in terms of monetary and ecological reasons. Prior to the construction at Mae-Hae, Thailand, series of experimental tests on the strength of rammed earth were performed off site at our university and also brought soil samples from the actual job site at Mae-Hae for detailed soil analysis. Through the tests, integrity of the earth and characteristics of the soil were established to build a small senior citizen center as an example. This appropriate technology is expected to contribute to the sustainable construction at Mae-Hae.