The hunt to find the caretaker of Victory Monument since the beginning of this month has brought public attention to Bangkok's monuments and how state agencies take care of them.
The search started early this month when the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the local administration which has taken care of this majestic monument for over seven decades, asked the Fine Arts Department (FAD) to find out the state agency that is the actual owner and caretaker of the monument.
No agencies have claimed ownership.
next in line: Victory Monument will get a landscape redevelopment with an underground tunnel to be built to improve access to the monument, at a cost of 40 million baht.
Victory Monument is located where three roads -- Phaya Thai, Ratchawithi and Phahon Yothin -- meet. The monument was built in 1941 to mark the bravery of military personnel, police officers and civilians who died during the Franco-Thai War over disputed territories in French Indochina in 1940-41.
On Feb 3, which marks Thai Veterans' Day, war veterans and their families lay flowers at the monument, in memory of the fallen.
The monument is one of 500 historic sites in Bangkok, and one of 15 monuments located within the capital, according to the BMA.
According to City Hall's City Planning Office, the FAD has authorised the administration to act as the caretaker of 39 bridges.
Twenty-four bridges are located in Phra Nakhon district, seven in Dusit district, two in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district and one each in Samphanthawong, Pathum Wan, Bang Rak, Bangkok Yai, Khlong San and Thon Buri districts.
Many of these are well-known tourist sites, such as the 678-metre Memorial Bridge, which connects the capital's Phra Nakhon and Thon Buri districts together across the Chao Phraya River.
These historic sites and monuments belong to state agencies that created them or owned the sites. But if they -- like the Victory Monument -- are registered as historic sites under the Fad, the owners need to obtain permits from Fad if they want to make any adjustments.
For instance, the BMA had to obtain a permit from the Fad to relocate Laksi Monument to clear the space for the construction of a subway line in Laksi area. Any request must be approved by the Fad.
PLAN FOR UNDERGROUND WALKWAY
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's 31-million-baht project to landscape the area around the monument of King Taksin the Great. The project removed a flyover that blocked view and is building an underground tunnel, with redeveloped landscape around the structure.
The BMA asked for the owner because it needs to get permission from the landlord and ask for a budget from the City Council.
The BMA is expected to spend about 40 million baht to develop an underground walkway at the Victory Monument and landscape development at the roundabout.
The project will make the monument more accessible and safer for visitors. Relatives of war veterans have complained of the hazards they face as they need to walk across the road to lay flowers at the site.
The design of the landscape redevelopment at Victory Monument has not been unveiled.
Chatri Prakitnontakan, associate professor at the Faculty of Architecture at Silpakorn University and author of books on Thai architecture and political history told the Bangkok Post that the City Hall should open a design competition.
"After being granted legal status as caretaker, the BMA might forget that it is just caretaker, not the owner," Prof Chatri said. "The BMA needs to encourage people to have a role in developing civic space, because the monument is a public entity that belongs to people. So the BMA should let people decide."
KING RAMA V LED THE WAY
On November 11, 1908, the famous equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn arrived in Siam—probably the very first statue to be erected in the country. Onthat auspicious day, the Siamese monarch presided at the launch ceremony of the statue at the Royal Plaza. The open-air venue has since witnessed successive political changes, including the marching of hundreds of thousands civilians protesting against corrupt governments and occasional displays of army tanks.
The first monument in Bangkok was built in 1908, during the reign of the late King Rama V, or King Chulalongkorn. That was the Equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn, commissioned by the monarch himself.
King Rama V passed away two years after the monument was completed, leading to the belief that building one's own monument is bad luck, according to book Implication of Democracy Monument in Thai Society by Malinee Koomsapha.
However, monarchs, aristocrats and the state continued to build monuments to mark historic events, pay tribute to heroic figures, or to worship monarchs.
"Monuments are indeed imported from Western culture. King Rama V might have seen these monuments during his royal visit to Europe and decided to build monuments in Thailand," Mr Chatri told the Bangkok Post in an interview.
"Monarchs from King Rama I to IV, before King Chulalongkorn, usually built Buddhist statues instead of having sculptures of themselves. Such monuments are new to Thai society."
Mr Chatri said Thai monuments have purposes that differ from those in Western countries, where public monuments originated.
"In the West, a public monument is a civic space that people can utilise for public activities. There is a sense of attachment to monuments as their culture treats monuments as public properties. In Thailand, the ownership of monument is rather opaque despite the fact that many of these monuments were built with taxpayers' money," he said.
MOVING INTO PUBLIC SPACE
Democracy Monument was built in 1940.
Local administrators, such as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), have begun to develop monuments into civic spaces.
First is the landscape development at King Taksin the Great Monument in Thon Buri.
Manus Prajuabjinda, Thon Buri district office chief, said City Hall completed construction of an underground tunnel leading to the King Taksin the Great Monument at the Wongwian Yai roundabout eight years ago.
Mr Manus said the construction of the tunnel, combined with additional lights and new pavements along the roundabout, was aimed at making the area more accessible.
He said about 500 people travel to the monument every day, to exercise or pay their respects to King Taksin.
"The tunnel has benefited the public, as they would not have to drive their cars all the way here [and find parking spots elsewhere] to visit it," Mr Manus said.
"The tunnel eliminates the need for an overhead pedestrian bridge.
"A bridge would only block King Taksin's monument," he added.
However, the Thon Buri district chief said more staff will have to be deployed to guard the tunnel -- open 6am to 10pm daily -- to prevent crimes.
On November 11, 1908, the famous equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn arrived in Siam—probably the very first statue to be erected in the country. Onthat auspicious day, the Siamese monarch presided at the launch ceremony of the statue at the Royal Plaza. The open-air venue has since witnessed successive political changes, including the marching of hundreds of thousands civilians protesting against corrupt governments and occasional displays of army tanks.
King Taksin Monument in Thon Buri district was built in 1954
Bangkok's Monuments (in chronological order)
- 1. Equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn (construction completed in 1908)
- 2. Pig Memorial (1913)
- 3. U-Tok Tan (Mae Phra Thoranee Beep Muay Phom) (1917)
- 4. 22 July Circle (1917)
- 5. WW I Expeditionary Force Monument (1919)
- 6. Memorial Bridge and Statue of King Rama I Monument (1932)
- 7. Lak Si Monument [1936]
- 8. Democracy Monument (1940)
- 9. King Rama VI Monument (1942)
- 10. Victory Monument (1941)
- 11. King Taksin the Great Monument (1954)
- 12. King Rama VII Monument (1980)
- 13. King Rama III Monument (1990)
- 14. King Rama II Monument (1996)
- 15. King Rama VIII Monument (2012)