New U.S. Consulate being built in Chiang Mai?

[Jonathan Fairfield]

New U.S. Consulate being built in Chiang Mai?

According to this....

 

The Department of State has awarded design-build contracts for new U.S. embassies and consulates that will provide secure, sustainable, and resilient platforms for U.S. diplomacy around the world.

 

B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama has been awarded design-build contracts for the following projects:

 

U.S. Embassy in Windhoek, Namibia (design architect: Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill)

 

U.S. Consulate General in Casablanca, Morocco (design architect: Miller Hull Partnership)

 

U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai, Thailand (design architect: Ennead Architects)

 

U.S. Consulate General in Merida, Mexico (design architect: Miller Hull Partnership)

 

Since the start of the Department’s Capital Security Construction Program in 1999, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has completed 162 new diplomatic facilities and has an additional 51 projects in design or under construction.

 

Full story: https://www.stl.news/bureau-of-overseas-buildings-operations-announces-design-build-awards-for-new-u-s-embassies-and-consulates/298177/?fbclid=IwAR0hF4Nkr7ZdVngUDFoqzyCFM4XGczpss4V3pnBifC_nH04djkYQkZIgQl0

[Thailand]

Will it be near the new UK consulate? ????

[Dante99]

Details from the architect indicate that special rooms will be provided for issuing of new income letters and processing TM30 reports and updates. Coffee and croissants will be served, donuts too when the guards have not eaten all of them.

[lopburi3]

Joking aside the Consulate in Chiang Mai is indeed old and likely in need of rebuilding.  But that is also true here in Bangkok where the same Consulate Section/ACSU that opened 40 years ago is still in service.

[pgrahmm]

I've heard the location will be somewhere near the Payap University area....

Hopefully, there will be someplace to park.....

[neilrob]

Details were announced at the recent meeting with the new US Consul. It looks much larger, and will be between the Superhighway and the middle ring, near Payap. The present consulate will probably be retained as the residence of the consul, but there is still some doubt of this.

[cmsally]

16 minutes ago, neilrob said:

Details were announced at the recent meeting with the new US Consul. It looks much larger, and will be between the Superhighway and the middle ring, near Payap. The present consulate will probably be retained as the residence of the consul, but there is still some doubt of this.

I hope they don't flog it off, as most other countries have done. It would then probably be ripped down and turned into a shopping mall!

[neilrob]

1 hour ago, cmsally said:

I hope they don't flog it off, as most other countries have done. It would then probably be ripped down and turned into a shopping mall!

They do not own the old consulate---it is crown property. Also, the buildings are protected by law as being historic, so it will probably remain as is, although the use may change.

[pgrahmm]

2 hours ago, cmsally said:

I hope they don't flog it off, as most other countries have done. It would then probably be ripped down and turned into a shopping mall!

It was the palace of the last Prince of Chiang Mai in the 1800's & has historical significance.....I think that with ensure a safe future....Possibly a crown residence, museum, or shrine of some sort.....I don't know anyone that has seen the inside of the compound....It might be a hidden jewel.....

[Bill97]

It was the palace of the last Prince of Chiang Mai in the 1800's & has historical significance.....I think that with ensure a safe future....Possibly a crown residence, museum, or shrine of some sort.....I don't know anyone that has seen the inside of the compound....It might be a hidden jewel.....

You never went to a Fourth of July Party there? Still got to be a bunch around that did. Consul’s residence was/is a nice wood Thai style building. May be others there but do not recall much more.


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[Ajvat37]

I heard a few years ago from a real estate agent that it will be located  real close to or in the Chiang Mai business park behind big C on superhighway

[khunjeff]

14 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Joking aside the Consulate in Chiang Mai is indeed old and likely in need of rebuilding.  But that is also true here in Bangkok where the same Consulate Section/ACSU that opened 40 years ago is still in service.

Actually, the building in Bangkok is over 50 years old. There have been plans to replace it for many years now, but they were always put on hold due to lack of funds and higher priority projects in other places. According to this link, though, a replacement building may finally be imminent:

 

https://www.dezeen.com/2019/05/08/nox-shop-bangkok-thailand/

[lopburi3]

 

8 hours ago, khunjeff said:

According to this link, though, a replacement building may finally be imminent:

Plans and actual building are not always the same however.  Link looks more like advertising than fact.  Embassy in Bangkok is actually one of the newer versions and nowhere near 50 years old.

 

As for the old Embassy Annex building being used for Consulate as I recall it opened in late 1979 or early 1980's making it about 40 years old.  Prior to that visa services were provided at AUA.  The old attached Embassy itself is older and at one time the whole building had to be elevated above the flood waters.  That Embassy itself was replaced years ago and is now across the street on land which was previously staff living quarters.