Jewels of Bangkok

Posted by Greg

November 8, 2007

Thailand Property Report Magazine, September 2006

The last thing anyone says as their airplane descends into Bangkok is, “What a lovely looking city!” But part of what makes the Thai capital such a great place to explore and live in is the number of secret pockets that only surrender their charm to those who are willing to seek them out. Unfortunately, the number of hidden gems scattered throughout the city is steadily shrinking to make way for boring steel and glass towers that leave little trace of the historic structures that once stood in their place.

Up until the early- to mid-80’s, Bangkok was a pretty staid city, slowly wandering forward in time without much indication that it would turn into the steamy metropolis it is today. “Until about 1985, the contours of the city were fairly confined; venture a couple of kilometers from the city center and you were in rice fields,” says Steve Van Beek, author of Bangkok Then and Now. “Suddenly, we had satellite cities and the need for one, two, and then three ring roads.”

And once people started building up instead of out, land prices shot through the roof until – the old joke goes – the national bird of Thailand was the crane. It seems that the thirst for consumer dollars only grows more intense as the economy continues to recover from the crash in 1997 and new developments spring up overnight. “Parks have never dominated Bangkok but those few green spaces it did have – like the old Siam Intercontinental and the British Embassy – are being planted in concrete. Even the American Embassy residence on Wireless is threatened by the owner, the Ministry of Finance, which would like to turn it into commercial buildings,” says Van Beek. At this rate, one is inclined to wonder if the next generation will be able to pick up a new Louie Veeton purse at the gleaming mall where Lumphini Park used to be.

One of these hidden gems that’s fighting back is the small community on soi Charoen Krung 52, aka Soi Wang Lee, an inconspicuous little street next to the Saphan Taksin BTS station. Like many buildings in Bangkok, the shop houses are run down and old, but retain the intricate, one-of-a-kind architecture from when they were built in the early 1900’s. The land they sit on, however, is owned by Wat Yannawa, which has decided they want to ‘improve’ the area, which means demolishing the homes of the long-term residents and building a brand new condo complex. Once home to 70 families, about half have decided to turn down the 40,000 baht settlement and fight to have their quiet soi registered as a heritage site. Their offers for higher rent payments and fund-raising activities have fallen on deaf ears.

“A letter arrived one day stating we have thirty days to leave,” says Prachitra Siripaosuwanakul, whose Thai/Chinese family has been here from the start. “Some families decided to go, but some decided to stay. This place is special to us; this has been our home for many generations.” They now have until January 4, 2007 to vacate their houses. However, as a gesture of goodwill, the Wat has given them first dibs on the new condo units they want to build – a thirty-year lease will cost five million baht.

Walking around the short soi, residents point out evidence of how things get done in Thailand. “Some men came once and did that,” said one resident who didn’t want to be named, pointing at a huge hole knocked through a wall and the destroyed teak paneling around it. “The idea is to make the houses not worth fighting for.” Some vacated units are spray painted, some have had the doors removed, many have been gutted. Another man, who has lived in his house since 1933, enthusiastically told stories of the surrounding rice fields and his father putting out fires from Japanese bombs during WWII, when rent on their unit was twelve baht per month. Both Their Majesties Rama VIII and Rama IX once used the adjoining pier (now a parking lot) when it was operational, as did maritime traders from around the world, as the original customs house used to be located here. Original land deeds are held by the Wat, but residents have been forbidden to see them. Nevertheless, support for the grassroots movement is evidenced by the fact that an anonymous friend supplied the small coalition with a photocopy of the forbidden document. Academics, lecturers and specialists are working on a plan as you read this; maybe not all is lost for the residents of Soi Wang Lee. Hopefully the trend will spread.

Other cities have embraced their historic architecture, working it into the 21^st century in a way that’s unique, beautiful – and profitable. “Singapore recognized that its old architecture could be preserved and that boutique businesses–lawyers, interior decorators–would pay big bucks to rent them,” explains Van Beek. “The main
proponents of preserving the old have been the owners of old houses who have turned them into inns, preserving their character and reaping high tariffs from high-end tourists.” The trend hasn’t caught on in Bangkok too fiercely, but it’s a relief to find that there are at least a few structures that won’t face a wrecking ball. The original Russian Embassy and the old Chinese Chamber of Commerce (now the Blue Elephant restaurant) on Sathorn are two prime examples.

One development that will surely become a major attraction is the old Customs House, built in 1890 and abutting the Oriental Hotel. Now used by the local fire department, it’s a crumbling, rotting, smelly monument to a more glamorous time – and it’s beautiful; head down for a look and you’ll likely agree. In May 2005, it was reported that Natural Park Property was going to turn it into a six-star hotel with 33 rooms that would go for $800 per night. However, recent revelations detail that politics and money problems have put the project on hold. Whatever the case, it’s a perfect example of the many stately, architecturally rich buildings spotted around town that don’t need to be destroyed. As the residents on Soi Wang Lee attest as they proudly display hundred year-old tiling and intricately carved teak staircases, improving something doesn’t necessarily mean you have to destroy it; everyone knows the magic a simple coat of paint can yield. “This used to be such a beautiful little soi,” says Siripaosuwanakul. “We just want to keep our houses and rebuild our thriving community.”

Magazines