Viewed from 459 metres above the ground in the soon-to-be-built 4.6-billion-baht Bangkok Observation Tower, Bangkok is sure to offer a postcard-perfect image of modern skylines set against the sluggish flow of the Chao Phraya River.
The view will be nice. Will tourists and shoppers pay to get to the top of the 29-storey-high tower to get a glimpse of the City of Angels? Definitely.
The tower will be conveniently located next to the 50-billion-baht Iconsiam property development project which will consist of two "glamorous" shopping complexes, "super-luxury" residences and "world-class" attractions, after all.
Atiya Achakulwisut is Contributing Editor, Bangkok Post.
The cabinet's timing in approving the tower, to be built on state land, could not be more disastrous, however.
Worse, the approval was for the project developer, a newly established foundation, to lease the 4-rai plot of land from the Treasury Department for 30 years without bidding, which is usually mandatory for a project worth more than one billion baht.
The tower project stirred an angry outcry when news of its approval broke. Many people criticised the government for being thoughtless in deciding to build the expensive view tower at a time when the economy is growing at a sluggish pace and hardship is being felt by many.
The government later clarified that the Bangkok Observation Tower Foundation will finance the construction cost, estimated at 4.42 billion baht with loans from financial institutions and donations from private companies.
The state will not only benefit from the almost 200-million-baht lease but the profits from entrance ticket sales estimated at about 100 million baht a year will go to charity. These are apart from the employment opportunities and income from tourism which the tower will generate for local communities around it, the government and Treasury explained.
Most of all, the Treasury said there could not be a better use for the site, which despite being next to the Chao Phraya River is a secluded piece of land.
The tower, set to become the tallest structure in the country and 15th highest in the world, will surely add a new attraction to the capital city when it is open to visitors in three years.
Despite the explanations, the observation tower project still leaves a bitter taste in many people's mouths.
By its nature, an observation tower is associated with a nice, panoramic view of a city, something pleasant to look at in your leisure.
The government apparently has set its eyes on reaping income from tourism growth as the Bangkok tower is reportedly one out of 10 to be built in different provinces to draw more visitors.
The fantastic image, or imagination that the tower inspires, can't be more different from what ground-dwelling Bangkokians or Thais in general deal with in their present reality and immediate future.
Times are tough for the poor and middle class during these times of a low-growth economy. The government's leaders may try to paint a chocolate-box view of Bangkok and the great fortune that the tall tower would bring for its residents, but the reality people are facing every day is a wretched life in an overcrowded city with inadequate infrastructure, few guarantees for one's safety and a meagre offer of affordable leisurely activities.
While the leaders were busy projecting a picturesque tableau of Bangkok, ordinary people would rather they saw the scenes of people queuing for hours on end at overextended public hospitals, of commuters being rejected by one taxi after another, of students wading through flooding to get to schools or the hopeless eyes of workers waiting for late buses.
It would be nice to have visitors admire Bangkok from the top, from the tallest tower where one would have to pay 750 baht to savour a 360-degree view above it all.
But this government came into power on a vow it would reform its corrupt and crumbling systems. In exchange for democracy and a certain amount of freedom, we were promised security, reconciliation and remedies for deep-rooted problems.
The government may say the observation tower will not cost a satang of public money while bringing tourism income and opportunities to people but the truth remains the main and immediate beneficiary of the project will be the shopping and residential complex sitting next to it which is run by some of the largest, wealthiest companies in the country.
The tower will surely offer a great view of the city once finished. Its approval, however, has given the military regime a poor image.