On Thiam Ruam Mit Road, Huai Khwang, a huge and empty building with a triangular façade has stood for years. A big plaque on the lawn in Thai translates to The National Gallery of Art. With no activities inside, people are left wondering when it will open. Is it true that there are plans to convert it into mixed-use spaces instead of a display of national treasures of modern and contemporary Thai art?
During the Thaksin Shinawatra government in 2003, a grandiose megaproject began on the purchased land next to Thailand Cultural Centre. Envisaged as Asean Cultural Gateway, the complex consisting of the Ministry of Culture, National Art Gallery, Concert Hall, Theatre and Digital Library was planned to be similar to the Beaubourg area in Paris. The design contest in 2005 attracted many entries including Casa Company, Architect 49, Sumet Jumsai Associates plus 3D, Duangrit Bunnag Architect, and Robert G. Boughey and Associates.
