Old quarters, new creativity

Old quarters, new creativity

The opening of Thailand Creative and Design Centre on Charoen Krung brings fresh appeal to a neighbourhood known for its historic charm

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Old quarters, new creativity
The Grand Postal Building on Charoen Krung now houses Thailand Creative and Design Centre.

After much anticipation, the new headquarters of Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) is now open at the Grand Postal Building on Charoen Krung Road.

The three-day opening fanfare took place over the weekend, and now the brand-new TCDC -- which held court at the top floor of The Emporium when it opened in 2004 before moving -- now occupies 9,000m² space of imposing 1930s architecture, taking up five floors that cover co-working space, a hands-on workshop area, start-up business advising services, a resource and material centre, an auditorium, exhibition grounds and more. It aims to be a learning centre for design and creativity, and the country's driving force in the creative economy, in accordance with the government's Thailand 4.0 policy.

"We hope TCDC can serve as a tool, a mechanism to drive our creative economy forward, as well as to create more opportunities for the people," remarked TCDC managing director Apisit Laistrooglai at the press conference held on Thursday. He has a firm belief that creativity could help improve our dwindling economy, as well as the quality of life for Thai people.

Street art in Charoen Krung.

As a pioneering project, TCDC is making it a mission to develop the potential area of Charoen Krung, its new neighbourhood, into a creative district. The centre hopes to draw more investment into the area by working with locals, the private sector and the government.

Charoen Krung is very special in both historical and cultural senses. Originating as Thailand's first concrete road, Charoen Krung developed into the country's busy commercial district and Bangkok's thoroughfare over 150 years ago. It perfectly combines influences from various groups of nationalities and religions that have inhabited the land, adding their own distinctive flair to the community, before the 1970s saw Silom, Pathumwan and Sukhumvit taking their share of the urban spotlight.

Inside TCDC’s new headquarters.

Now, the neighbourhood situated along the Chao Phraya River is a perfect blend of vintage and contemporary lifestyles with old architecture, Instagrammable cafés and bars, contemporary street art and galleries dotting the streets and back alleys, putting unique charm on this side of Bangkok.

The arrival of TCDC in the area is a major catalyst in the rejuvenation -- one could say gentrification -- of Charoen Krung. The idea, however, is to build modernity while acknowledging the historical treasures that the area is famous for. Recently, TCDC took us on a walking tour to explore the historic charm of its new territory. Unbeknownst to many, this neo-hip locale is also home to various significant landmarks, the gems hidden in plain sight between sois, with some of them being the first of their kind in Thailand.

The First Embassy

A short walk from the Grand Postal Building brought us to Soi Captain Bush where the Embassy of Portugal is situated. This riverside land was given by King Rama II to Queen Maria of Portugal in 1820. Currently, the plot contains two significant structures -- one is the embassy's office, while the other is the ambassador's residence.

Originally a warehouse, the wooden building was converted into embassy offices back in 2006. Apisit noted that the renovation work is quite splendid in that the building still retains its original wooden structure. But with metal and glass added in, the structure now oozes a chic, modern air. Parts of the interior now sport red and green colours to mimic the Portuguese flag, while the rest is painted in light yellow.

Siam Commercial Bank, Talad Noi branch.

Next, we passed a few peacocks roaming the yard to the main residence where the ambassador's family lives. Kevin Colleary, partner of ambassador Francisco Vaz Patto, was a gracious host who showed us around his home. Construction of the two-storey colonial structure began in 1860, during King Rama V's reign.

"It's the oldest diplomatic house in Thailand," noted Colleary. The house also contains several interesting artefacts, with paintings from a museum in Lisbon, Portuguese-style ceramic art, as well as a photograph of King Bhumibol Adulyadej during his 1960 world tour in the capital of Portugal.

Gazing from the veranda on the second floor of the house, we looked across the vast tidy lawn to the Chao Phraya River. A skyscraper is currently in construction on the other side of the river. Throughout the day, one can see shuttle boats zooming up and down the waterway. Colleary said things can get rather busy and loud at night with all the dinner cruises cranking their stereos up to entertain their guests.

Ban Oou Mosque.

The First Bank

If there was ever a contest to find the most beautiful banks in the country, or even the world, Siam Commercial Bank (SCB)'s Talad Noi branch could easily find its place at the top of the list.

The SCB Talad Noi originally served as a headquarters for the bank -- which is also the country's first monetary institution that was established in 1906 under King Rama V's royal charter. The three-storey building containing Beaux arts and Neoclassical beauty took two years to complete, and was finished in 1910. It was designed by Annibale Rigotti and Mario Tamagno, architects who were also credited for their work on the country's grandiose Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. The building reportedly cost 300,000 baht to construct with imported materials back in the early 1900s.

Currently, the first floor of Talad Noi branch serves as a fully-operating bank that opens 8.30am-3.30pm, Monday to Friday. Going up the staircase, we reached an empty banquet hall -- with an adjacent grand meeting room -- that is used for functions, exhibitions and other auspicious ceremonies. This area, unfortunately, is not open to the general public.

The Author’s Wing at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok.

Chadaduang Suwannathat, manager of the bank's museum, noted that the bank's location is itself a reflection of an old belief. The land's shape resembles that of a money pouch, with a narrow entrance that opens into a spacious inner enclosure.

"It means for money to come in easily, but difficult to go out," she said.

Due to its stellar condition, the building was named in the best preserved architectural arts by the Association of Siamese Architects in 1982.

The First Hotel

A short ride on the fully-loaded express boat brought us to Thailand's first modern hotel, the 5-star Mandarin Oriental. Originally known as The Oriental (Thai people would pronounce it as "O-ren-ten"), the hotel was opened in 1876 during King Rama V's period, making it also one of Asia's oldest hotels. The place has welcomed various international VIPs from celebrities like Michael Jackson to heads of state attending King Bhumibol's 60th anniversary of his accession ceremony back in 2006.

The Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has been in operation for over 140 years. It contains a total of 368 rooms and suites, as well as nine restaurants and bars.

The Ambassador’s Residence within the Embassy of Portugal.

The highlight of the hotel is unmistakably its renowned Author's Wing -- the premises' only remaining structure from the 19th century. The neoclassical two-storey building houses an afternoon tea lounge on its ground floor. Upstairs, two grand royal suites can be found, and they're named after famous writers, like Joseph Conrad and others.

"This building is very much the heart of the hotel," said PR executive Benjamin Tabuteau, adding that it costs about 500,000 baht a night during high season to stay in the historic Author's Wing.

The First Masjid

Charoen Krung is known for its diversity of faiths -- Buddhist temples sit next to mosques, also Sikh and Hindu temples.

Our final landmark brought us to Ban Oou Mosque in Charoen Krung 46. The place sits just around the corner from the Shangri-la Hotel and BTS Taksin station.

Built in 1912, the century-old Ban Oou Mosque originated from a Muslim community that migrated from Pattani into Bangkok back in the day. It is considered the first registered mosque in Thailand. According to the Office of Islamic Affairs Committee of Bangkok Metropolis, the mosque was officially registered on July 29, 1948. However, it should be noted that this doesn't make Ban Oou either the first or the oldest mosque in Thailand.

The almost 3 rai area now houses a mosque and a cemetery within. Despite refurbishment in 1992, the building has retained its original look since its early 1900s conception. The place also houses several artefacts -- things like old drums to ceramic works -- from back in the day.

Somkid Veerapongsakul, the mosque's treasurer, said the place welcomes people of all religions.

"You don't have to be a Muslim to come in," he insisted. "We get visitors here all the time, whatever their religion may be."

Somkid said the mosque offers studies and lessons on the Koran on a regular basis for people of all ages, and these are provided free of charge for both Muslims and anyone interested to learn more about Islam.


TCDC Bangkok at the Grand Postal Building in Charoen Krung now offers free entrance throughout this month. It opens 10.30am-9pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Visit www.tcdc.or.th.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT