It's Time For A New Govt House, Says Abhisit

[webfact]

It's time for a new Govt House, says Abhisit

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wants to have a new Government House built near the new Parliament site which is now under construction.

Abhisit said otherwise the two modern buildings at the current Government House should be improved, saying they were not beautiful and do not fit in with the main buildings.

Abhisit told the media that Command Buildings 1 and 2 are also becoming dilapidated fast and the idea of building a new Government House had already been expressed by then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra.

The premier said if a new Government House was built near the new Parliament it would be most fitting. Meanwhile, PM's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaiboon, who works in one of the Command Buildings admitted the structure was in bad condition and adding new wires and electric lines had become a challenge.

Abhisit has tasked PM secretary-general Kobsak Sabhavasu to set up a committee to work with Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture and look into the feasibility of a new Government House which is more spacious.

Architects who designed the new Parliament, such as Theeraphol Niyom, are also being consulted and the committee has met twice.

One of the considered plots of land now belongs to the Fourth Army Cavalry Royal Guards in Kiekai area of Bangkok. About 100 rai of land has been bought for the construction of the new Parliament while the cavalry still has 1,300 rai of land remaining.

It is estimated some Bt50 billion would be required to purchase the land if a new Government House was to be built elsewhere, and to ask for 100 rai of land from the Army is more feasible, the committee concluded.

The committee also suggested that Command Buildings 1 and 2 be renovated as a short-term measure .

-- The Nation 2011-04-14

[Ricardo]

Better IMO to spend the money on something which might benefit the poor, a new dam or irrigation-scheme or bridge, Thailand already has sufficient 'white elephant' buildings like Don Muang Airport's terminals.

[rreddin]

Better IMO to spend the money on something which might benefit the poor, a new dam or irrigation-scheme or bridge, Thailand already has sufficient 'white elephant' buildings like Don Muang Airport's terminals.

"(The)PM's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaiboon, who works in one of the Command Buildings admitted the structure was in bad condition and adding new wires and electric lines had become a challenge."

If by saying "the structure is in a bad condition" they mean it is structurally poor, then I can understand the need for a replacement building.

However, the OP goes on to say that the committe recommended renovating the building, which suggests that it is structurally sound and that the buiding is not obsolete in the sense that it cannot accommodate modern rechnology and communications requirements. That leaves the arguement infavour of the new building as being that the existing building is unattractive. If that is the case, I agree with Ricardo.

[stepenwolf1958]

Not bad when you are in the middle of an election campaign but focused on the importance of aesthetics of building in which the government ruling the country. Very commendable.

The only thing that bothers me is that it is now "very" important, in addition to uncertainty of all people in the country that this government made.

However, it is strange to me they have to ask the Army to give some land. They have some land as property, own it, or any land belongs to the citizens (government)?

[Dah fahrang]

TiT.

If it looks good, then it must be good.

The Thai way is to make sure that externally, superficially, all is in order, su-ay.

Never mind what goes on - or, maybe, doesn't go on - behind the facade.

[niveknedwob]

Probably too many ghosts in the current place ... besides, Thaksin wanted a new Gov Hse also (???)

[janverbeem]

Didn't they recently spend about 100 million on that Feng Shui garden?

[kenk3z]

I wonder if the real idea is to have the building located where the Army can defend it from the demonstration-of-the-week?