Night Market Being Dismantled Today?

[Tingnongnoi]

spoke with a friend of mine last night who has a business on the site and although he was saying a few months back that they had until june- july, he said that the deadline has been put back now for at least 2 years!

[pliny]

If people want a market, then the market has to be willing to pay the market rents or there has to be some other viable reason to keep it going.

Let's be clear the management of CPB have a responsibility to generate sustainable value to the shareholders. With the massive subsidies in Langsuan and sites like the Dusit, who knows if this site is at market.

Inner city design left to economic considerations alone will inevitably result in over development by those whose interest is solely financial. Hardly rocket science.

But, in a country where zoning laws are practically non existent in any meaningful way it is clear that without robust philanthropic intervention Bangkok will rapidly become a primate city with no defined open spaces whatsoever catering for the recreational needs of ordinary people

And of course that's the rub. Bangkok's inner area is space in transition where people live and play but the land they occupy is becoming too valuable to permit such use. Most capital cities have this in common and the demographics of the phenomenon mean that, save for the rich, the population will migrate to farther suburbs or outer slums according to disposible income. But whereas those cities legislate for fallow land retained for ornamental and recreational use, Bangkok's guardians appear powerless to achieve anything beyond feeding at the trough of self interest.

Frankly, I have given up any hope that either national or local government will prevent what seems to be an even greater environmental disaster than already exists.

[Pawpal]

Any update on what's happening to the night bazaar? It's already mid-June, and everything seems business as usual. A lot of people (including myself) hope it stays that way for many years to come.....Is it possible that the powers-that-be have had a change of heart?

[Jimjim]

It'll be gone eventually, I'm sure. It's just taking a long time.

[t.s]

Update - End of February 2007

Suan Lum project gets go ahead

Tallest skyscraper in development plan

Central Pattana Plc has formally been awarded a contract to redevelop the Suan Lum Night Bazaar from the Crown Property Bureau.

The highly coveted site, located opposite Lumphini Park at the intersection of Rama IV and Wireless Road, is expected to be renovated into a retail and commercial space that will include Bangkok's tallest office skyscraper.

Retailers subleasing space would be allowed to stay at the site until April with no cost, Mr Aviruth said, with the land to be turned over to CPN by the end of the year.

PROPERTY END OF CONTRACT AT SUAN LUM

The contracts expired in April this year (2006), but the owner of the land agreed to extend the rental period for one year to help tenants find new locations, moving the deadline to April 1, 2007.

The owner of Suan Lum, The Crown Property Bureau wants to get the space back from its current tenant so a new client - who has plans for residential condominiums, a hotel, commercial plaza, entertainment and an art and cultural centre - can move in.

Such generosity. I'm sure that the owner has found suitable alternative property for the tennents.

why would that be their responisbility?

[bkkjames]

Any update on what's happening to the night bazaar? It's already mid-June, and everything seems business as usual. A lot of people (including myself) hope it stays that way for many years to come.....Is it possible that the powers-that-be have had a change of heart?

I have been watching this thread and others like it for at least a long while now. My advice would be to those who really want to know if it is still open when they visit just to take a taxi there and see.

In Thailand, things are a little fluid. One day a market, then overnight its bulldozed.

Or as an alternative, we appoint someone (i pick a moderator) to start a new topic when and only when the night market is actually gone, should help people being confused.