COMMENTARY
If you still don't know this, it's about time you did: We are losing the old Supreme Court building, a vintage structure that is part of our national heritage. It is being quietly demolished.
The demolition, by the order of court authorities, is to pave the way for a new, much larger structure. The plan has attracted criticism from conservationists and historians alike.
In their opinion, the courthouse, constructed in the era of the Pibulsonggram government in 1939 to celebrate the return of Thailand's judicial sovereignty, is worth preserving for its historical and architectural significance.
Chatri Prakitnonthakan, architecture lecturer at Silpakorn University, said the courthouse is cast in so-called "modern architecture", a style known for its simplicity of form.
The style was popular during the time of the now-defunct People's Party, which came to power after the 1932 Revolution that abolished the absolute monarchy.
Mr Chatri was right in saying that the building may not have lavish features that belong to the neo-classical style. But the Supreme Court building is one of the few structures that represent architecture of the 1930s in our country.
Apparently, the court authorities take the issue from a different perspective. And that has led to a dispute between the court and conservationists which heated up in 2008.
It's not that conservationists do not see the problems that court officials face from working in a rather run-down building. In fact, they agreed that the court house is in a sorry state and that something needs to be done to restore the building and make it match the prestige of the judiciary.
But the solutions definitely do not include its demolition.
In fact, a team of Chulalongkorn University architecture lecturers, in a study that was commissioned by the court itself, recommended that the original building be renovated to restore its former splendour.
They also agreed that some parts of it be torn down and replaced by a new structure.
As well as being cheaper, this option means that the national heritage building can be preserved.
In 2009, the Association of Siamese Architects, in its bid to convince the court authorities of the building's significance, handed an "ASA conservation structure" award to the courthouse.
Yet the court eventually shrugged off the renovation option, throwing away the study and making it clear it would go ahead with its plan to construct a new building.
For the conservationists, led by the ASA and the Conservation of National Treasures and Environment, the most difficult part in dealing with the court authorities is the lack of communication; the Supreme Court has never sent a representative to any forum aimed at bridging the differences.
The court authorities also shrugged off a warning by the Fine Arts Department that the building is on the department's conservation list.
According to Mr Chatri, the new structure will be 32 metres tall _ double the height limit of 16m set by the Committee for the Conservation of Rattanakosin and Old Towns for buildings in the inner Rattanakosin area.
So, what can we expect from the new courthouse? One certainty is that it will be an aesthetic disaster.
To start with, the new big building will tower over the Grand Palace, Mr Chatri warned.
But his repeated warnings have fallen on deaf ears, as the court authorities insist on sticking to their original plan. We can also expect them to remain tight-lipped while going ahead with their plan.
Actually, no one is questioning the court authorities' legal knowledge. But, with due respect, when it comes to technical issues like conservation or the environment, it's better that they listen to people in the know and open their minds to different opinions.
And with due respect, even though the court authorities have been the users of the building since 1939, they are not the building's owner. They have no right to take the building as their own.
Instead, the building is a national heritage treasure _ one that the court authorities should be helping to preserve, not destroy.
Ploenpote Atthakor is Deputy Editorial Pages Editor.
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About the author
Writer: Ploenpote AtthakorPosition: Deputy Editorial Pages Editor
Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/12/15/in-courthouse-kerfuffle-hubris-reigns-supreme/
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