Bangkok Chinatown Residents Fight Project Near Temple

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Chinatown residents fight project near temple

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Residents of Bangkok's Chinatown will gather on May 21 to show their opposition to a plan to develop a hotel and shopping complex right next to the area's most famous Chinese temple, Wat Leng Noei Yi.

Built more than a century ago, this outstanding temple attracts huge numbers of people each year. It is particularly crowded during the Chinese New Year festival.

"We plan to stage a peaceful march to show our pure power," temple board member Pisitchanon Niwattanakul said yesterday. He is also the director of Mangkorn Kamalawas School, which is located in the temple's compound.

Mangkorn Kamalawas is the Thai name of Leng Noei Yi.

The temple's abbot said Leng Noei Yi's surroundings should not be altered.

"An adjacent building should serve an educational purpose or be designed to honour the Royals, rather than serving as a hotel and shopping complex," the senior monk said.

On a plot right next to the temple is a building once used as a tea parlour. This plot belongs to the Office of the Privy Purse, which has offered it for lease.

Pisitchanon said the community around the temple was one of Bangkok's oldest. Excessive Westernisation should not be allowed, he said.

"The values within people's hearts may not be tangible, but they count," he said.

Another Leng Noei Yi board member, Suthi Jintananareumit, said he did not believe that the development project in the adjacent building would be limited to a shopping complex.

"I don't believe the investors' claims. When they see the opposition, they will try to disguise their real intentions," he said.

Suthi said the Lawyers Council of Thailand stepped in to help petition against the modification of the adjacent building, which continues despite an April 10 order by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Public Works Department banning the use of the building.

"We are considering filing a petition with the Central Administrative Court," Suthi said.

Associate Professor Srisak Wallipodo said he saw the opening of a hotel next to Leng Noei Yi as a violation of the community's rights.

"Please don't forget that locals have lived here for generations. The community has been here for more than a century," he said.

He believes the country's laws do not yet fully recognise the community's rights.

Pom Prab District Office public works chief Prapassorn Kularb said authorities would enforce the law, but when it came to the matter of what was appropriate, it was hard to say.

"If the project developer has proceeded in line with the laws, the district office won't be able to stop this project. If you are going to highlight ethical issues, then other agencies must be invited to consider the matter," he said.

Suthi said the temple was prepared to negotiate and might offer compensation for damages caused if the project were forced to stop.

-- The Nation 2012-05-12

[OzMick]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

[geriatrickid]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

You do know who the land belongs to don't you?

It is stated in the article. I doubt that the developers did not get a green light from the land owner.

It is very difficult to go against such important entities.

[OzMick]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

You do know who the land belongs to don't you?

It is stated in the article. I doubt that the developers did not get a green light from the land owner.

It is very difficult to go against such important entities.

Yes, thank you, I can read. I repeat, the land was up for lease and if the temple wished to be consulted, and felt strongly about use of the land, the appropriate action was to secure the lease and sublet.

Nowhere in the article does it indicate that the developer is an important entity.

[marquess]

There are already enough shopping centres here in Bangkok and surrounding areas, un-distinct pieces of architecture, why do we need any more? Just another group of people hoping to make a quick buck. Look at the old Siam Continental Hotel with its distinctive roof, knocked down to make way for a shopping centre, in an area that is already inundated with them. It would be nice if the residents could win this one as there is far too much literally uncontrolled 'development' here Thailand that is both environmentally ruinous as well as aesthetically ruinous.

[geriatrickid]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

You do know who the land belongs to don't you?

It is stated in the article. I doubt that the developers did not get a green light from the land owner.

It is very difficult to go against such important entities.

Yes, thank you, I can read. I repeat, the land was up for lease and if the temple wished to be consulted, and felt strongly about use of the land, the appropriate action was to secure the lease and sublet.

Nowhere in the article does it indicate that the developer is an important entity.

The income from a commercial development lease is significantly higher than that of a "non use".

The lease requirements may have discouraged anyone but a commercial developer from taking on the property. There's a little thing called an expensive lease payment structure.

[sparebox2]

They have to ask themselves this. "ARE YOU THAI PEOPLE?"

[OzMick]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

You do know who the land belongs to don't you?

It is stated in the article. I doubt that the developers did not get a green light from the land owner.

It is very difficult to go against such important entities.

Yes, thank you, I can read. I repeat, the land was up for lease and if the temple wished to be consulted, and felt strongly about use of the land, the appropriate action was to secure the lease and sublet.

Nowhere in the article does it indicate that the developer is an important entity.

The income from a commercial development lease is significantly higher than that of a "non use".

The lease requirements may have discouraged anyone but a commercial developer from taking on the property. There's a little thing called an expensive lease payment structure.

sublet - definition of sublet by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus ...

www.thefreedictionary.com/sublet - Cached

tr.v. sub·let, sub·let·ting, sub·lets. 1. To rent (property one holds by lease) to another.

For a use they deem acceptable, not necessarily "non-use". If they can't afford it, tough TIT. My neighbour has no right to dictate my use of my property as long as the use is legal and doesn't contravene zoning regulations. "Excessive westernisation" is pretty poor complaint against a hotel and shopping complex.

The fact that a religion is attempting this is even more hypocritical as in most countries (and I assume Thailand) they are exempt from most if not all, the taxes that other land users have to pay.

[mccw]

Reminder of impemanace etc; shouldn't upset them.

Not as if china town isn't stuffed with commerce and hotels anyway

[sprq]

If the development looks like the picture, it will be an improvement for the area, not something detrimental. It looks classy, not flashy, and is only 4 storeys high, the same as its neighbour. What's to worry about? For Bangkok, it's a miracle.

[bangkokbruce]

Just what we need in Bangkok is another shopping center and hotel...they might as well call it Mallkok.....when is the greed ever going to end. The neighbors are probably more worried that it will just be another flophouse full of prostitutes...can't blame them

[Time Traveller]

If the temple wants a say in the use of the site, shouldn't they have bought the lease and sublet?

You do know who the land belongs to don't you?

It is stated in the article. I doubt that the developers did not get a green light from the land owner.

It is very difficult to go against such important entities.

Yes, thank you, I can read. I repeat, the land was up for lease and if the temple wished to be consulted, and felt strongly about use of the land, the appropriate action was to secure the lease and sublet.

Nowhere in the article does it indicate that the developer is an important entity.

Not the developer, the land owner. They own almost half of Bangkok.