Temple must pay if project is scrapped, company owner says

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The owner of an estate-development firm is demanding Bt289 million in compensation if opposition from the Leng Noei Ti Temple in Bangkok forces it to scrap the project, the temple's management said yesterday.

The management of the century-old Chinese temple in Bangkok has mounted strong opposition against Station1@China Town project out of concern the building might get turned into a hotel or an establishment involved in morally questionable activities.

"We asked to see the project's expense list, but our request was denied," Pisitchanon Niwattanakul, a member of the temple's board, disclosed yesterday. "We are ready to compensate the project's owner, but only based on the actual expenses."

Located in Bangkok's Chinatown or Yaowarat area, the Leng Noi Yi temple has great cultural, historical and spiritual value. The Station1@China Town will be developed on a plot adjacent to the temple.

Sontaya Noicharoen, a legal counsellor for the project, has insisted the project's owner is a Yaowarat resident and understands the significance of the temple.

"The project will definitely not feature a spa, a karaoke bar or hotel," he said.

He said the first floor of the building would be devoted to jewellery stores and coffee shops, while the second and third floors have been earmarked for clothes shops, and the four floors above that will be made into flats.

"We will also proceed in line with the law and submit our plans to relevant authorities for approval," Sonthaya said.

Jessada Anujaree of the Lawyers Council of Thailand, who has stood by the Leng Noi Yi Temple in its stance against the project, said the temple management was worried the flats might get rented on a daily basis, which would be very much like a hotel.

According to the sales team, the Station1@China Town project should be completed by March next year.

-- The Nation 2012-05-17

Article is clearly lacking a lot of info but seems dreadful a temple could be even considered to be transformed into a mini shopping mall.

Article is clearly lacking a lot of info but seems dreadful a temple could be even considered to be transformed into a mini shopping mall.

"The Station1@China Town will be developed on a plot adjacent to the temple".

Umm, maybe you should read the article correctly.

out of concern the building might get turned into a hotel or an establishment involved in morally questionable activities

So they might be building another temple then.

an establishment involved in morally questionable activities like selling sex to monks and priests?

Complete with short time rooms upstairs

Man, Buddha is gonna be pissed. This developer is going to be reincarnated as a slug !!!

Man, Buddha is gonna be pissed. This developer is going to be reincarnated as a slug !!!

or a bedbug. :-)

"The Station1@China Town will be developed on a plot adjacent to the temple."

I'm pretty sure this is a Chinese Mahayana temple. They have a much different outlook on things than do the Theravada sangha. Just saying.

What better way to test the monks.....put temptation right next door.

Article is clearly lacking a lot of info but seems dreadful a temple could be even considered to be transformed into a mini shopping mall.

Your statement is inaccurate, and the sentiment is just plain wrong IMHO. If every wat, mosque, church, temple or whatever was turned into a shopping mall, bowling alley, brothel or even a carpark, the world would be a better place with a lot less god-botherers telling others how to live the only life they will get.

Guess the monks still need to go to Pantip for their shopping then.