Banking on creativity

SINCE ITS early days, Bangkok’s amazing waterfront has enthralled foreigners from near and far, with houses on bamboo poles and boathouses wobbling on both banks. Houses on stilts still remain today in their modern form though they’re mostly overshadowed by towering concrete blocks. 

While old riverside communities hosting temples, mosques and vintage buildings can still be found, some are in the throes of unwelcome change brought on by overzealous developers – and sometimes tactless authorities.

However, in terms of community flavour and creative dynamism, nothing beats the area straddling the border between Klong San and Bang Rak districts – a spot that looks set to be officially recognised as Bangkok’s first “creative district”.

The historic quarter – running from Taksin Bridge to the River City shopping complex and covering both sides of the Chao Phraya River – is home to art galleries, design studios, cultural attractions like temples, mosques and markets and communities dating back more than a century.

After taking the throbbing pulse of the area’s creative soul, famed architect Duangrit Bunnag reckons the quarter should be designated as a creative district in which designers, artists, architects, gallery owners and other creative professionals can set up shop and thrive. Duangrit himself runs a leading architecture firm based at the Jam Factory in Klong San just across the river from the Sripraya pier.

“Because I’m based here, I want this area to prosper. As both sides of the Chao Phraya River host age-old communities, and lots of art galleries, gallery owners and other entrepreneurs have been discussing the possibility of turning the area into a creative district: an area of creative people like artists, musicians, designers, and so on. And we’ve decided to go ahead with it,” says Duangrit, a member of the steering committee of the Klong San-Bang Rak Creative District.

The committee, which is made up of entrepreneurs, business owners and representatives of hotels and other organisations in the area, has come up with 20 initiatives to turn the creative district into a reality. 

Duangrit says among them are plans to reduce pollution in the river, ensure a zero-accident rate in the area, and promote community engagement. 

First and foremost is an interactive map application for the creative district, which should be ready by early next year. The interactive map, which can be downloaded on a mobile device, has many features and functions including GPS tracking, free-form text about the history of key places like galleries and historic places in the area, walking routes and photos. 

“With the app, you can know exactly where you are while on a walking tour of the area. It’s easy to get information about each place in the area too. The app is rather complicated, so it will take some time to develop but I think it will ready by next year,” says Duangrit.

Duangrit adds that the area has a storied past and interesting attractions not to mention plenty of potential to grow further as an ideal waterfront conservation model.

The main road on the Bangkok side of the Creative District is Charoen Krung, home to retro bars, galleries, old shophouses and vintage buildings. The road was built at the order of King Rama IV in 1861 and runs parallel with the Chao Phraya River. Charoen Krung is also historically significant as it is regarded as Bangkok’s first proper road and hosted a tramway as well as the horse-drawn carriages used by European merchants. 

Among the key attractions are the old Customs House in the French colonial style dating to 1880 on Soi 36, the Grand Postal Building near Soi 34, one of the few Art Deco buildings in the city (it is currently being converted into the headquarters of the Thailand Creative and Design Centre), and a thriving Muslim community with the Haroon Mosque as its centrepiece, also on Soi 36. 

Then, there’s the Assumption Cathedral on Soi 40, a Roman Catholic church dating back to the early 1900s that serves as the place of worship for the Catholic all-boys’ school Assumption College, and Wat Suan Phlu on Soi 42/1 where tourists and locals pay respect to the East Asian deity of mercy, Guanyin. 

The area abounds with galleries. Among the most popular is the Serindia Gallery located at OP Garden on Soi 36. The gallery runs exhibitions of paintings and other art from the Himalayan region. Next door is Modern Gallery, which features work by revered Thai artists like the late Thawan Duchanee and Chalermchai Kositpipat along with new generation painters such as Thaweesak “Lolay” Sritongdee. 

In the same compound stands French gallerist Pascal Billieres’ Artha Gallery, which showcases works by artists from Thailand, Myanmar and Vietnam. Charoen Krung Soi 28 is home to Speedy Grandma, a more edgy venue that appeals to Bangkok’s hip crowd. These galleries regularly organise gallery-hopping nights, film screenings and talks. The next gallery hopping night is on November 27 to coincide with the French Embassy's third Galleries' Night. Participating venues include Artery Post Modern Gallery, Bridge Cafe and Art Space, the Jam Factory, the Ferry Gallery, Kathmandu Photo Gallery and Serindia.

Given the area’s potential as the city’s first creative hub, the Department of City Planning (DCP) has agreed to lend its support. 

The DCP will identify buildings and places that have historical and/or architectural significance, provide easy access to important landmarks by improving roads, sidewalks and bike lanes, improve directional signage, and offer open spaces and waterfront areas to create connectivity and support cultural and creative activities.

“DCP is providing incentives in addition to zoning approval. This is the first time in the history of community conservation that the private sector has proposed a zoning plan to the government. Usually it’s the other way around. Meanwhile, the TCDC is planning to offer a tax break to creative people wanting to set up a business in the area,” Duangrit says. 

The architect believes that projects like this can boost the local economy and tourism if their impact to communities is studied properly. However, he’s personally against the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA)’s Bt14 billion 14-km waterfront lane project, citing the lack of a public hearing and a proper study of its impact on the affected communities.

“Bangkok’s waterfront has lots of potential for many things like public spaces, parks, riverside theatres, or light and sound displays like we have at Wat Arun. But whatever development you propose, you must listen to communities and it must be approved by a public hearing,” he says.

 

DOWN BY THE RIVER

Klong San-Bang Rak Creative District: the 20 initiatives 

Community engagement

District maps

Lights festival

Street art

Public art

Events calendar

Cinema revival

Mixed-use shophouses

Housing and residences

Green space

Historical preservation

Street trees

Underground lines

Ride & ramble

Streetscape visioning

Digital district

Vision zero

District boats

Sustainable river

Strategic signs