A place of memories

Bangkok is an ever-changing city where the existence of older days is, perhaps too quickly, fading through time. New changes and buildings are touted as advancement but are they always the case? To illustrate the transient nature of Bangkok, for better or worse, Guru has listed historic landmarks that are to be closed, are at stake or have been reborn.

Sadly, They're Gone

British Embassy Bangkok

In 2019, many of us were quite astounded by a yellow excavator tearing down the white colonial-style house of the British Embassy Bangkok while riding the BTS from Chidlom to/from Phloenchit stations. The colonial house, with a verdant green garden and low-key office buildings, stood out in the concrete jungle, and was described as "one of the most spectacular British properties overseas" by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The land, all 43,922m² of it on Phloenchit Road, used to accommodate the British ambassador's residence, two monuments, offices, staff living quarters, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a private pond.

However, the golden plot was sold to a joint venture by two leading real estate development companies: Hongkong Land and Central Group. It was turned into the Central Embassy project, which merges a seven-storey super-luxury shopping complex with a 30-storey five-star hotel, the Park Hyatt Bangkok. Rumour has it that the two historical monuments from the embassy's garden have been hidden in Bangkok. One is the British War Memorial that has been saved and reconstructed at the British Club on Silom 18, while the other is the Queen Victoria Statue, which remains undiscovered.

Australian Embassy Bangkok

Who knew that one of the plots of land on Sathon Tai Road, now flanked by condominiums and office buildings, used to house the former Australian Embassy Bangkok whose groundbreaking design caught everyone's eye? Hemmed in by bountiful trees in the front, a modern yellow pyramid-shaped upside-down edifice of the former Australian embassy was built as a part of a green design initiative. The symmetric three-storey building contained well-arranged indoor gardens with a pond. Plus, each floor was spruced up with vertical greeneries hanging from the balconies. However, the land was sold to Supalai Pcl, a Thai property developer, who will build a residential building on the property.

Scala Cinema

On Nov 1, we were witness to horrifying social media snapshots of the demolition of Scala Cinema of Siam Square. Yes, it tore everyone's hearts to watch one of Bangkok's most iconic landmarks being torn down, especially after the new owner promised to conserve the charm of the quaint structure. Scala was one of the stand-alone cinemas in Bangkok where it wasn't just movies that were being enjoyed. Scala Cinema was built in Art Deco style and received the Outstanding Architectural Conservation Award in 2012. Whether it was the off-white staircases with mahogany handrails that complement a curved ceiling decked out with bronze star-shaped ceiling details or the iconic grand crystal chandelier, the ineffable, picturesque details cannot be replaced. However, the erasure did cause a stir about the necessity of conservation and raised debate on historical landmarks in Bangkok.

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Soon To Say Goodbye

Hua Lamphong station

Many fear that Hua Lamphong station will end up like Scala Cinema after public transport authorities announced its closure for renovation. The historic central railway station is scheduled for decommissioning in late-December after serving as the hub for the country's train networks for 105 years. The rail network will be moved to the newly-built Bang Sue Grand Station with Hua Lamphong station set to be home to a train depot and a maintenance station, as well as a small museum that catalogues venerable contributions. Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said that the old station will make way for commercial development as its prime location connects business and shopping areas with the old town and many of the capital's main tourist sites.

Hua Lamphong station was built in the Neo-Renaissance style, with a distinctive glass arch on its facade on June 25, 1916. It was designed by the Italian architect Mario Tamagno, who is also the man behind two iconic edifices in the capital -- the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and the Neilson Hays Library. However, its closure announcement sparked outrage that the change could cause some inconvenience for train commuters as Bang Sue Grand Station is not as well-connected to Bangkok's inner-city areas. The new hub will unjustly leave the burden of higher transport expenses for commuters living in the suburbs, who rely on cheap services and the MRT connecting Hua Lamphong to the rest of Bangkok.

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Another Day, Another Chance At Life

Nai Lert Park Heritage Home

One last greenish piece of the puzzle that seems to be misplaced in the Chidlom neighbourhood, where the layout is filled with modern architecture, is the Nai Lert Park Heritage Home. Entering Soi Somkid, you will be attracted by a teak wood heritage manor covered with the tranquil atmosphere of its lush green park, all of which was used to serve as a sanctuary for Thailand's first and foremost developer Lert Sreshthaputra, known as Nai Lert. The property was built in 1915 and held historical significance as Bangkok's first Western-style park, even before Lumphini Park existed in 1925.

The 106-year-old residence opened to the public in 2012 as a museum filled with historical memorabilia from three generations of the Sreshthaputra clan, showcasing numerous antiques and artefacts from the family's private collections dating back to World War II. Each walkway of its manicured gardens is well worth exploring, as it exhibits momentous souvenirs of Nai Lert's accomplishments. Think of a classic white bus that is a part of Nai Lert's initiative to transform public transportation by offering Thailand's first diesel-engine public bus. Nai Lert Park Heritage Home consists of 12 zones and is also home to two Thai restaurants -- Pae Kanom (dessert-making raft) and Ma Maison restaurant. Entry fees to Nai Lert Park Heritage Home cost B250 and B100 for students.

Jim Thompson House Museum

Even though its surroundings have been turned into a bustling shopping and residential district, the Jim Thompson House Museum remains one of the Baan Song Thai (a traditional Thai house) properties that have lived through time. Tucked away at the end of Soi Kasemsan 2, the residence of the king of Thailand's silk empire, Jim Thompson's home is the centrepiece of the museum. Built in 1969 and designed by Thompson, its layout and surroundings remain untouched and combine six different teak Thai houses, while the interior blends Western-style architecture with Thai heritage strikingly.

"Jungle" is how Thompson depicted his densely-planted garden, while basket-weave brick garden-walkways lead to antique sculptures that are hidden along the trails. If you are a lover of art and culture, then this historic landmark ticks all boxes. The house is more like a vault of Thompson's treasures; a rare collection of more than 200 objets d'art from ancient times, some of which are almost 1,400 years old. The tour costs B200 for adults and B100 for those below the age of 22, which is inclusive of a guide.

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They've Been Brought Back To Life

Bangkok City Library

At the Khok Wua intersection near Democracy Monument, you will find a striking yellow corner building stretching along Ratchadamnoen Avenue, with giant windows exposing wooden seats and bookshelves when looking from outside. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has rented a building from the Crown Property Bureau, which is one of 15 connected buildings, and renovated it for the Bangkok City Library. Offering more than 40,000 different books and 1,000 e-books in its almost 5,000m² space, this library is hailed as the largest of the capital's 36 public libraries. Besides, it is also the only one to have a section of Braille and audiobooks.

With a determination to conserve and respect the value of the original architecture, the renovation of Bangkok City Library's building has well reflected the combination of Western and Thai architectural arts, preserving the original aesthetic form of the buildings. The interior combined neoclassical elements and details of art deco-inspired architecture, while its skylight roofs let natural light flow in from the roof all the way to the first floor. Entry is free.

Central: The Original Store

The modern, minimalist brick building, which stands out among a row of classic shophouses on Charoen Krung Road, is where Thailand's leading retailer empire, the Central Group, began. Central: The Original Store, a new version of Central's first retail store, Central Burapa, has not only been revived, but it has also bridged the past and the present, linking the building's mid-20th-century origins and its history with contemporary lifestyle offerings. The original store was the very first asset bought by Central Group's founders, father and son, Tiang and Samrit Chirathivat, in 1950, and was known for its imports of Western books, magazines and products.

With its reopening in 2020, the refurbished five-storey building has been reimagined by the renowned Belgian minimalist architect, Vincent Van Duysen, with the help of Japanese design studio Tripster, whose work boasts an interior with timeless decorations. Central: The Original Store is one of the must-visit destinations for Bangkokians hankering for a cultural hub at which to spend money on vintage collections of books, magazines and vinyl. Connected to the main building is a courtyard that does double duty as a place to enjoy coffee and meals by day at Siwilai Cafe and music by night at Siwilai Sound Club.

Phra Pokklao Sky Park

Offering a place to enjoy the sunset above the River of Kings, Phra Pokklao Sky Park is the first sky park in Bangkok and is one of the 19 urgent projects planned during the tenure of Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang. The walkway and garden observatory across the Chao Phraya River were built on the Lavalin Skytrain project, an old structure of an unfinished electric railway of the Expressway Authority of Thailand between Phra Phuttha Yodfa and Phra Pokklao bridges that were abandoned for 30 years. The 280m-long bridge was redeveloped by design and landscape studios N7A Architects and Landprocess, who turned the unfinished structure into a fenced-in recreational garden. Flanked by plants and trees that provide shade to visitors, Phra Pokklao Sky Park offers three viewpoints with seating areas that offer different panoramic views of Bangkok.

Chong Nonsi Canal Walkway

One hopes that the annoying pounding sound of pile drivers on the construction site of the Chong Nonsi Canal Walkway project will pay off for those living along Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road when finished. The BMA is gearing up to create a new tourist attraction and revive canals and surrounding areas to increase clean water access and green space in Sathon. Inspired by the Cheonggyecheon Restoration Project in Seoul, Khlong Chong Nonsi will be the first canal park in Thailand that will measure 9km on both sides, divided into five phases of construction. The first phase of the redevelopment will focus on a 1km stretch from Sathon to Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 7, expected to be finished by Christmas Day. Today's update: Piles of curved, concrete stair seating, walkways structures and concrete patios, with a few trees flanked along the sides lie around the site.