Bangkok Post : Scale model of Bangkok goes on display

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Scale model of Bangkok goes on display

Published: 14/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

City Hall is now home to a "City Model" of Bangkok, the region's largest scale model of an urban environment.

Department of City Planning chief Anchalee Patamasawan points to the Bangkok City Model on display at the department’s Din Daeng headquarters. Covering 143.5 square metres, it is the largest scale model of its kind in Southeast Asia. It cost 13.7 million baht and took 18 months to build. SURAPOL PROMSAKA NA SAKOLNAKORN

The scale model of Bangkok, covering 143.5 square metres, is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia and the third biggest in Asia, after models of Beijing and Shanghai, said Anchalee Patamasawan, Department of City Planning chief.

"We want it to facilitate a study of city development in both the past and future," she said.

"Aerial photos or the help of GPS systems are not enough. The City Model gives the actual dimensions."

With a scale of 1:750, the model comprises buildings, temples, roads, parks, canals and all other places located in 80.73 square kilometres of central Bangkok and parts of Thon Buri. The department focused on this area as the city's outskirts are relatively undeveloped and are likely to significantly change in the near future.

A private company was paid 13.7 million baht to build the model which took 18 months to complete. More than 1,000 people worked on it and the finished work contains more than 200,000 pieces.

The model is currently located on the third floor of City Hall's Department of City Planning. But it can be disassembled so it can be displayed outside of the department in the future, said Setttaya Phackanok, director for city area improvement.

"The City Model has attracted many visitors so far. Foreign experts who had meetings at the department were stunned when they saw it," Ms Anchalee said.

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About the author

: Writer: Supoj Wancharoen; Position: Reporter

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paul

Discussion 2 : 14/11/2009 at 10:37 PM2
With a scale of 1:750" Does that mean we can't see the people sleeping under bridges, the lepers begging, the touts trying to rip tourists off at "govenment gem shops" the slum dwellers that we see coming into Hualmphong station etc? From what I know ir wil be the same as the "artists impression" of the latest exciting new building project as in no traffic jams. By the way what is the point of this no doubt very expensive exercise?
Chan

Discussion 1 : 14/11/2009 at 02:31 PM1
Waste of time and money. Can't think of enough value to justify this work (other than keeping over 1000 people employed for a while during economic down turn!). City planning can be done more effectively by other means.

paul

Discussion 2 : 14/11/2009 at 10:37 PM2

With a scale of 1:750" Does that mean we can't see the people sleeping under bridges, the lepers begging, the touts trying to rip tourists off at "govenment gem shops" the slum dwellers that we see coming into Hualmphong station etc? From what I know ir wil be the same as the "artists impression" of the latest exciting new building project as in no traffic jams. By the way what is the point of this no doubt very expensive exercise?

Chan

Discussion 1 : 14/11/2009 at 02:31 PM1

Waste of time and money. Can't think of enough value to justify this work (other than keeping over 1000 people employed for a while during economic down turn!). City planning can be done more effectively by other means.