Rujiraporn Wanglee at the entrance to Lhong 1919.

The Japanese docked at Suriwongse, Europeans at East Asiatic port, royalty anchored at Tha Maharaj but the Chinese would only land at the Huo Chuan Laung pier.

"It was clearly separated back then, so this is a truly historical place for the Chinese who came to start their lives here," Rujiraporn "Pia" Wanglee explains of the recently opened tourist attraction: Lhong 1919.

Last week an opening celebration of bombastic scale with fashion shows, fireworks and free-flow everything inaugurated the grand site once used as a place of worship, pier and storage. The shrine, a few retail shops and eateries that have been built into the time-worn buildings on the 6 rai property by the Chao Phraya River are now ready to court Bangkok shutterbugs and foreigners, as well as those genuinely interested in Sino-Siamese heritage.

Rujiraporn, who married into the Wanglee family (who own this exclusive piece of land) decades ago, is the main force behind the restoration and revival of Lhong 1919.

Rujiraporn Wanglee at the entrance to Lhong 1919.

"This place was taken for granted for some time -- we just viewed it as a few townhouses and warehouses," the 65-year-old recalls of her dismissive response when she and her husband drove past it to get to Wanglee mansion next door. "We didn't think of its importance until we saw it falling apart last year. It shocked me and made us think that we couldn't let it go on like this -- before it went beyond restoration."

Luckily, it was not difficult for her to convince the Wanglee family to turn it into a public site, rather than a shiny condominium.

With the family's emergency funding and immediate green light, Rujiraporn was given full reign to spearhead the project. This has been a crucial factor in the success of bringing the old site back to life within its tight timeframe.

"It was a good thing because I could do whatever I thought was fitting without needing to get approval and could get things done quickly," says the interior designer, who has her own share of experiences having to report to clients about unforeseen changes and additional costs when it comes to repairing a building.

As a business family better versed in selling commodities such as oil and glass noodles, Rujiraporn's background as founder and president of PIA Interior was most suited to revive Lhong 1919, although she says this is the first time that she has done restoration work.

While expertise and help was sought from the Fine Arts Department, Lhong 1919 is not registered with the department and does not receive any funding from the state.

"Or else this site may have taken another five years to restore," Rujiraporn explains of the painstaking process "real" restoration could have been. "With our time constraints, we couldn't do it in such a way where every single brick is noted and the colour of every little bit we scratch off can be noted down. To wash the building, we would have had to do it with sponge by hand, too, but we just sprayed water. I was trying to think like a businesswoman and to work efficiently. The expert professors insisted on doing everything themselves, so I suggested, why not bring their own students to come fix it up? They are students you have taught yourself and where else would they get the opportunity to restore a real, heritage site?

A student restores old wall paintings.

"Maybe it was because I was ignorant," she adds, with a laugh. "Ignorance is bliss. But because I didn't know, I wasn't afraid to make any decisions. I do have my background in interior design so I obviously wouldn't do anything crazy, but perhaps if I knew too much, I would be afraid to do anything and would keep everything."

Difficult decisions included having to move the sacred Mazu in order to fix the shrine. "I think it's intentions that are the most important. It was my intention to make this place fitting and appropriate for a revered goddess to the best of my knowledge and ability. Everyone said it was dangerous to move a sacred figure, but if I couldn't move her, I couldn't do my work -- with a leaking roof and hundreds of workers coming in every day. Whatever I did, I did out of my pure logic, instinct and pure heart."

For the project manager, the biggest challenge in reviving Lhong 1919 had been to cut the walls out between the townhouses, in order to create a distinctive, large, high-ceiling space suited to showcasing trendy furniture and statues. The outside architecture remains the same, but the insides were adapted for modern use, albeit bare walls being one of the main traits Rujiraporn will not paint over.

"The charm of an old building is in its antiqueness. Its charm and beauty comes with time, which we got for free and is irreversible. I think it's a crime to make it new, because this is something that can only be created with wind and time."

Buildings have 167 years' worth of history.

Other details that have been discovered include Chinese paintings along door frames and window frames that removed blocks of paint have revealed. After Rujiraporn shared photographs of the pictures with a friend, who is also Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's friend, within two weeks a private tour was arranged for the Princess to witness the renovators at work.

"I knew it pleased Her Royal Highness to look at these kinds of things when she goes to China," says Rujiraporn. "I just wanted to let her know that now there are Chinese paintings to look at in Thailand, too. Fortunately, an expert from Guangdong University in China was also in town and was able to explain all the pictures and poetry to Her Royal Highness."

Undoubtedly Lhong 1919 is set to make its mark as a national heritage site, but one that's also well-packaged enough to reel in the younger generations. Asked whether she is in touch with her Chinese side, Rujiraporn tells of how she was born a Lamsam -- another establishment family -- and has been paying respect to ancestors of both the Lamsam and Wanglee houses.

Rujiraporn designed the worship areas to have a contemporary vibe.

"I think this generation is starting to become more interested in their roots than before -- in my generation, 20-30 years ago, we completely ignored this. But now, people are trying to study our roots more and when we know, we take pride. With this spot, people can come learn history that we didn't make up -- it's all real about the Chinese in Thailand. Third generations in Thailand should come and see how their grandparents may have stepped onto Siam soil for the very first time."

After graduating in London, Rujiraporn practised there for a short period before returning to Thailand to open PIA Interior. With an extensive client list in corporate, retail and hospitality, her company's projects have included designing the interiors for Hotel Muse, The Okura Prestige and renovations for Siam Paragon -- it is no surprise that the designer's tasteful and sophisticated vision can be seen in Lhong 1919.

"No one is perfect out of school though, you learn from experience." She gratefully mentions starting out designing meeting rooms thanks to the support of bank mogul Bancha Lamsam, before designing this and that for the Wanglee family. "I was just a small designer but got the opportunity. I had a family that could support my trial-and-error ways until I became an expert in what I do. That is one fortunate thing to have in my life, as well as the financial support where when my business was still in its making, I have never had to live in desperate or difficult times."

The Wanglee family at Lhong 1919.

Grateful and well-informed of the impact of getting an opportunity, Rujiraporn continues the philanthropic thread by currently letting young artists and designers sell their work and products for free at Lhong 1919. Without her convincing and the Wanglee family sharing their personal treasure, this blooming heritage site may never have come about.

"I convinced the family that it is an obligation for us to give back to the country," Rujiraporn says. "We have become rich from this land and already have more than enough to live comfortably. There are other families out there richer than us that want to give, too, but cannot give what we can because this is something we own. This is an opportunity for us to do so."