NEW ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

A fair next month will mark the start of construction of the long-heralded city art and culture centre.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said the fair would feature art works and art-related activities organised by members of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Network such as the National Gallery on Chao Fa road, the Bangkok National Museum Foundation, the Goethe Institute and Patravadi Theatre.

The city had decided to stay with the design submitted by architects Robert G Boughey and Associates, who won the initial design contest.

It calls for an 11-storey building to cost an estimated 438 million baht, which would come from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's budget.

The project started under former governor Bhichit Rattakul who organised a design competition and set aside a construction budget. His term ended before construction began.

His successor, Samak Sundaravej, caused an uproar when he junked the original plan in favour of another in which a private firm would build a shopping mall with an arts centre housed on one floor.

Mr Samak's attempt to kick off his project failed to attract bidders because of strong opposition, especially from a network of artists.

Mr Apirak said the city administration was studying the management plan for the arts centre, which could be managed by an independent foundation or a foundation under the BMA.

However, the management pattern would be different from that of state agencies.
Bangkok Post 6 June 2005 www.bangkokpost.com
Supoj Wancharoen