A network of old town communities showed solidarity with Mahakan Fort residents yesterday by proposing that City Hall adopt the late King's sustainable development initiative to preserve the doomed neighbourhood.
The network said the Mahakan Fort, an old riverside neighbourhood in the Rattanakosin area, shows a history of settlement that dates back to the early Rattanakosin era and features a unique cultural and architectural heritage.
The community has been occupied by generations of residents who have helped see the city grow, the network added.
The network, which included old communities in Bang Lamphu and members of the Association of Siamese Architects (ASA), made the proposal after the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) broke a promise to residents on Monday by dismantling a house of historical and architectural value, and implementing its eviction plan.
The network criticised attitudes towards modern development which prioritised economic factors over historical value which has resulted in old communities being left in a sorry state.
In its proposal, the network suggested the BMA adopt the late King's sustainable economy philosophy by understanding the community's problems and find solutions to solve them. It was also suggested the BMA work with the residents to preserve the community and improve livelihoods.
The group also said sustainable development was in line with the government's policy to move the country towards Thailand 4.0. The goal of the policy is to make everyone grow stronger together, leaving no one behind, it said.
Meanwhile, Silpakorn University lecturer Chatri Prakitnonthakan called on the BMA to halt demolition and hold a tripartite meeting with community residents and the ASA to set up a multi-partite group to find a way to turn the community into a new public park that caters to contemporary social demands.
This group should include the BMA, representatives from other Rattanakosin communities, Mahakan Fort residents, lawyers, anthropologists, and history and architecture experts, he said.