Bangkok, Thailand - Looking around Bangkok city: it must be a good place for traveling and visiting temples, royal palaces and other cultural site seeing because of its being as the capital city of Thailand since the 18th century.
“Bangkok, the city’s wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues have made it synonymous with exoticism. Its historic wealth coincides with its rapid modernization, reflected in the cityscape and the urban society.” According to Wikipedia description.
Not only this metropolis is a perfect place for all kind of shopping: clothes, handicraft, IT stuff, etc. In addition, Bangkok is a hot spot for the day-life eating places where a variety of food, shop, restaurant, and food vendor, are located spreading all over the city.
From a tour guide book you may find many shopping centers as well. Ratchaprasong is at the forefront of Bangkok's shopping scene. The newly renovated Central World Plaza intends to serve as a square to Bangkokians.
Just up the street is Siam Square, similar to Shinjuku in Tokyo and Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus in London, close to Chulalongkorn University. The Sukhumvit area also serves as a shopping district for foreigners. The popular Chatuchak Weekend Market in the north of the city is where many people head for cheap, used and high quality products (Wikipedia).
Also, for the night-life and red area in Bangkok are considered to be very fantastical destination for many tourists as well: such as, Silom-Sathon, Sukumvit and Asok. Moreover, there are many neighborhoods or communities with unique characteristics in Bangkok such China Town, Sam Peng, Phra Nakorn (old city), Sam Yan, and including Banthat Thong.
Banthat Thong Commercial Neighborhood
“About 70 percent of people have been living in this area for more than 30 years. If it will be developed and more modernized, I don’t think it will work. Said Pornpisut, a cake shop owner on Banthat Thong road.”
“This is the old commercial neighborhood, there are many local shops located here and they are famous. I think if you preserve this area to be more unique and stay old, that would be much better and benefit local people here. Not a big modern and clean rise-tall building.” He added.
Thanon (road in Thai) Banthat Thong is well-known as for an commercial area ‘Siang Kong’ located in Pathumwan district, Bangkok. All used auto-parts, luxurious car showrooms, trailer shops, can be found on this road, and many Soi (sub-narrowed roads) around.
As it is close to the tourism center of shopping malls such MBK, Siam Center, Siam Square and Paragon; there are many hotels and dorms; it is also close to skytrain station, and Chulalongkorn University - that makes Banthat Thong seemingly became as a semi-periphery city neighborhood.
Furthermore, with only a few minutes walk from National Stadium Complex, Banthat Thong has filled up with lots of sport shops, food shops, and food vendors. Whenever there is a big sport competition at the stadium, that area would be even more crowded.
Those buildings on Banthat Thong were built about 30-year ago. There are many Thai-Chinese people living around this area, as you can see from the shop names, shop owners, and Chinese food restaurant.
But as years passed by, there are more arrivals migrate from Northern Thailand, are living in this area as well, owning and selling fruit, or ice-cream on motor-tricycle. Add to the fact, there is quite a number of students are staying in private dorms, and contributing another lively dimension to this neighborhood also.
However, the three-stories commercial buildings along the road belong to the Chulalongkorn University Property Office, where is about to be developed and replaced by new modern ones.
Chula’s Real Estate Development project will soon have to tear down all those commercial buildings, after the 3 and 5-year contract with local residents ends. Then a residential tower and a service apartment with more than a thousand units will be built, according to its website (http://www.property.chula.ac.th).
Chula University’s Property
Chulalongkorn University is the first university in Thailand, was established by the King Rama V. A huge land of its location and surrounding Pathumwan areas were given by the king, aimed for advocating and educating a high education for Thai nation.
For the past four decades, about 1,300 Rai - surrounding university areas have been developed for commercial constantly. By holding a great potential area which is located in the heart of city: it is in a center of trade and economy in Bangkok, plus all infrastructure provides, Skytrain (BTS) and Subway (MRT), close to the two highway roads.
The main reason for Chula to do real estate development project, by renting lands for private sectors, is to gain more budget to develop or support the university education, study and research.
However, a few national level press reports that there is no examination or research of whether Chula has used this income and partially received a national budget to actually develop its study and research or not.
Although the lands belong to the University, hundreds thousand of residents who have been living in Pathumwan areas, Sam Yan, Sieng Kong, Banthat Thong, have contributed a lot to these area; cultures, characteristics, and local and national economic activities and values.
Later on, more and more projects came along trying to develop this area, trying to make it more modernized as we can see what happened in Sam Yan new market and Chamchuri Square shopping mall and service towers. Old style market with food shops and food vendors had been got rid of.
There were many sue cases and conflicts happened between Chula Univ. and Sam Yan market people a few years ago. When some seller did not want to move out while Chula needed the land to build a new market with a higher rent.
History is often repeated. This is about to happen in Banthat Thong as well. The tension has been ongoing for years between locals and Chula office. That is because the residents are feeling insecure of after contract ends whether they will be allowed to extend it or they have to move out.
Moreover, the rental fee is increasing yearly. “If Chula says we have to move out, I will have to go. I will not be able to afford an expense for a new contract in living in new building.” Said Pornpisut.
Banthat Thong, where used to be one of the modernized and commercialized areas in Bangkok, is now facing a newer way of modernity. Chulalongkorn University Real Estate project seems to be conducted soon to develop this neighborhood.
When the tourism and shopping centers at Siam Square is attracting lots of tourists and intensively profitable. Not only tourists who visit this big core of this ‘economic cosmology’ but also as being a center area for many educational institutes: university, college, and high school. Thus, Banthat Thong as a nearby area is also affected by urbanization and modernization as well.
Interestingly, what people think of their ‘neighborhood’ is different from land developer as Chula. In a stream of this tension, when 30-year-ago modernity versus with 21st modernity version, the question is who will gain benefit from this development? And who does actually have power to define what is modernity in this urbanization era? Local people who have been living there for many years or land developer who wants to modernized the area for a better economic value?
(Read more #2)
“Bangkok, the city’s wealth of cultural landmarks and attractions in addition to its notorious entertainment venues have made it synonymous with exoticism. Its historic wealth coincides with its rapid modernization, reflected in the cityscape and the urban society.” According to Wikipedia description.
Not only this metropolis is a perfect place for all kind of shopping: clothes, handicraft, IT stuff, etc. In addition, Bangkok is a hot spot for the day-life eating places where a variety of food, shop, restaurant, and food vendor, are located spreading all over the city.
From a tour guide book you may find many shopping centers as well. Ratchaprasong is at the forefront of Bangkok's shopping scene. The newly renovated Central World Plaza intends to serve as a square to Bangkokians.
Just up the street is Siam Square, similar to Shinjuku in Tokyo and Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus in London, close to Chulalongkorn University. The Sukhumvit area also serves as a shopping district for foreigners. The popular Chatuchak Weekend Market in the north of the city is where many people head for cheap, used and high quality products (Wikipedia).
Also, for the night-life and red area in Bangkok are considered to be very fantastical destination for many tourists as well: such as, Silom-Sathon, Sukumvit and Asok. Moreover, there are many neighborhoods or communities with unique characteristics in Bangkok such China Town, Sam Peng, Phra Nakorn (old city), Sam Yan, and including Banthat Thong.
Banthat Thong Commercial Neighborhood
“About 70 percent of people have been living in this area for more than 30 years. If it will be developed and more modernized, I don’t think it will work. Said Pornpisut, a cake shop owner on Banthat Thong road.”
“This is the old commercial neighborhood, there are many local shops located here and they are famous. I think if you preserve this area to be more unique and stay old, that would be much better and benefit local people here. Not a big modern and clean rise-tall building.” He added.
Thanon (road in Thai) Banthat Thong is well-known as for an commercial area ‘Siang Kong’ located in Pathumwan district, Bangkok. All used auto-parts, luxurious car showrooms, trailer shops, can be found on this road, and many Soi (sub-narrowed roads) around.
As it is close to the tourism center of shopping malls such MBK, Siam Center, Siam Square and Paragon; there are many hotels and dorms; it is also close to skytrain station, and Chulalongkorn University - that makes Banthat Thong seemingly became as a semi-periphery city neighborhood.
Furthermore, with only a few minutes walk from National Stadium Complex, Banthat Thong has filled up with lots of sport shops, food shops, and food vendors. Whenever there is a big sport competition at the stadium, that area would be even more crowded.
Those buildings on Banthat Thong were built about 30-year ago. There are many Thai-Chinese people living around this area, as you can see from the shop names, shop owners, and Chinese food restaurant.
But as years passed by, there are more arrivals migrate from Northern Thailand, are living in this area as well, owning and selling fruit, or ice-cream on motor-tricycle. Add to the fact, there is quite a number of students are staying in private dorms, and contributing another lively dimension to this neighborhood also.
However, the three-stories commercial buildings along the road belong to the Chulalongkorn University Property Office, where is about to be developed and replaced by new modern ones.
Chula’s Real Estate Development project will soon have to tear down all those commercial buildings, after the 3 and 5-year contract with local residents ends. Then a residential tower and a service apartment with more than a thousand units will be built, according to its website (http://www.property.chula.ac.th).
Chula University’s Property
Chulalongkorn University is the first university in Thailand, was established by the King Rama V. A huge land of its location and surrounding Pathumwan areas were given by the king, aimed for advocating and educating a high education for Thai nation.
For the past four decades, about 1,300 Rai - surrounding university areas have been developed for commercial constantly. By holding a great potential area which is located in the heart of city: it is in a center of trade and economy in Bangkok, plus all infrastructure provides, Skytrain (BTS) and Subway (MRT), close to the two highway roads.
The main reason for Chula to do real estate development project, by renting lands for private sectors, is to gain more budget to develop or support the university education, study and research.
However, a few national level press reports that there is no examination or research of whether Chula has used this income and partially received a national budget to actually develop its study and research or not.
Although the lands belong to the University, hundreds thousand of residents who have been living in Pathumwan areas, Sam Yan, Sieng Kong, Banthat Thong, have contributed a lot to these area; cultures, characteristics, and local and national economic activities and values.
Later on, more and more projects came along trying to develop this area, trying to make it more modernized as we can see what happened in Sam Yan new market and Chamchuri Square shopping mall and service towers. Old style market with food shops and food vendors had been got rid of.
There were many sue cases and conflicts happened between Chula Univ. and Sam Yan market people a few years ago. When some seller did not want to move out while Chula needed the land to build a new market with a higher rent.
History is often repeated. This is about to happen in Banthat Thong as well. The tension has been ongoing for years between locals and Chula office. That is because the residents are feeling insecure of after contract ends whether they will be allowed to extend it or they have to move out.
Moreover, the rental fee is increasing yearly. “If Chula says we have to move out, I will have to go. I will not be able to afford an expense for a new contract in living in new building.” Said Pornpisut.
Banthat Thong, where used to be one of the modernized and commercialized areas in Bangkok, is now facing a newer way of modernity. Chulalongkorn University Real Estate project seems to be conducted soon to develop this neighborhood.
When the tourism and shopping centers at Siam Square is attracting lots of tourists and intensively profitable. Not only tourists who visit this big core of this ‘economic cosmology’ but also as being a center area for many educational institutes: university, college, and high school. Thus, Banthat Thong as a nearby area is also affected by urbanization and modernization as well.
Interestingly, what people think of their ‘neighborhood’ is different from land developer as Chula. In a stream of this tension, when 30-year-ago modernity versus with 21st modernity version, the question is who will gain benefit from this development? And who does actually have power to define what is modernity in this urbanization era? Local people who have been living there for many years or land developer who wants to modernized the area for a better economic value?
(Read more #2)
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