Travel like the wind | Suchart Choolee
An old European-style building of great historical and architectural value, blending French Baroque art with Rococo-style stucco designs, stands in the heart of Prachinburi. This building is known as “Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Building,” constructed in 1909 by Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr (Chum Abhaiwong) as a royal residence for King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) during his planned visit to the Prachinburi region. Although the visit never occurred due to the King’s passing before the journey, the building has since become a historical monument, rich with cultural significance that endures to this day.
Later, the building was transformed into the Abhaibhubejhr Thai Traditional Medicine Museum, one of the country’s most important centers for herbal knowledge. The houses ancient medical texts, traditional medical tools, and stories of past healers—offering not only insights into treatments but also reflecting Thai ways of life, local wisdom, and the compassionate spirit of healers, which has been deeply rooted in Thai culture for centuries.
From the rich foundation of knowledge preserved within this esteemed museum emerged “Bhumi Phubet”—a center for herbal learning and holistic health wisdom located on Suwinthawong Road, in Bang Decha, Mueang District, Prachinburi. More than just an exhibition space for herbs, Bhumi Phubet is a vibrant, open environment for learning about holistic health care, encompassing the harmony of body, mind, and nature.
At the heart of Bhumi Phubet lies “Ruean Mor Ploy” (Doctor Ploy’s House)—a traditional teakwood Thai house designed to recreate the atmosphere of an old Thai healer’s home. It reflects the lifestyle, tools, and knowledge passed down from Mor Ploy, also known as Muen Chamnarn Phaetthaya, one of the last royal physicians of Siam and a key figure in ancient Thai medicine. This house serves as a living bridge connecting historical healing practices with the present day, allowing visitors to experience the spirit of authentic Thai healing in an engaging and life-enriching way.
Learning begins with a fundamental concept in traditional Thai medicine—the Four Elements (Earth, Water, Wind, Fire)—which are analyzed based on a person’s birth date. This analysis helps guide individuals in balancing their bodies, choosing suitable foods, and using herbs specific to their elemental constitution. Especially emphasized is the role of herbal cuisine, which goes beyond basic nutrition to embrace a deeper understanding of the energy and unique properties of each herb.
Moreover, Bhumi Phubet develops a wide range of herbal products, including household remedies, herbal drinks, and health products for everyday use. All are based on familiar Thai herbs such as turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, andrographis, and ginger. Each formula is crafted through careful research that honors traditional wisdom while ensuring modern safety standards, allowing consumers to use these products with confidence, correctness, and sustainability.
Therefore, Ruean Mor Ploy is not just another Thai-style house—it is a “symbol of returning to oneself”—a return to nature and to the profound wisdom deeply embedded in Thai ways of life. It is a space for learning, understanding, and inspiring self-care in a simple yet powerful way.
Because good health does not begin with expensive medicine or advanced technology—it begins with “truly knowing oneself.”When we know ourselves, we understand what our bodies need, what to eat, which herbs to use, and how to balance our lives in accordance with our own nature.
And that is the essence of the learning offered at Ruean Mor Ploy and Bhumi Phubet—quietly beautiful, profoundly meaningful, and deeply sustainable.
“Good health begins with understanding oneself.”
—Mor Ploy
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