From: kamol@ipied.tu.ac.TH (Kamol Hengkietisak)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai
Subject: Bangkok Post Dec 30: Supreme Command told to move elsewhere
Date: 5 Jan 1993 19:27:34 +1100
Organization: Mail/News gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: munnari.oz.au

 
THE Cabinet yesterday ordered that the Supreme Command abandon 
existing construction and build its new headquarters in Bangkok's 
northern suburbs.
 
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said there were also plans for other 
government departments housed in buildings in the Royal Plaza area 
to be gradually relocated elsewhere.
 
Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Suthep Thueksuban 
said Mr Chuan would appoint a committee to assess how the present 
Supreme Command site could best be redeveloped for use by all 
Bangkok residents.
 
The relocation was among four options proposed by the Supreme 
Command and Defence Ministry at the Prime Minister's instruction 
after the project came under heavy attack from the Opposition.
 
Opposition leaders, during the Budget Bill debate earlier this 
month, demanded that the project be scrapped because of the 
proximity of the 10-storey building (two of them underground) to 
the Royal Plaza where the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and 
Equestrian Statue of King Rama V are located.
 
In the Supreme Command's report to the Cabinet, the armed forces 
headquarters proposed four options for consideration: maintaining 
the building height at 25.65 metres; reducing it by two storeys to 
21.8 metres; relocation to a site provided by the Government; or 
relocation to a Supreme Command site off Ram-intra Road in Bang 
Khen.
 
Government deputy spokesman Thamrong Thaimongkol said the Cabinet 
decided on the last option after a lengthy debate.
 
The Supreme Command had contracted Benjamas construction company 
to build the new headquarters at a cost of 978.3 million baht. 
Already about 205 million baht has been spent for work which began 
on January 17 this year. The project is due for completion in 
1,200 days or on May 7, 1995.
 
Mr Chuan said the Cabinet had considered a more appropriate use 
for the site in the future before agreeing unanimously to select 
the last proposal made by the Supreme Command headquarters.
 
The construction contract with Benjamas company will remain valid.
 
"We are not scrapping the construction contract. We are moving 
construction work to somewhere else," he said.
 
The Defence Ministry will be responsible for negotiating the 
details with the company on how the contract could be adjusted to 
accommodate the change.
 
"The company has not violated the contract and we cannot scrap 
it," the Prime Minister said, adding that officials have yet to 
discuss with Benjamas if it wished to claim for damages which may 
be caused by the Cabinet decision.
 
"We cannot put the blame on anybody because no one has violated 
the law in this regard," the Premier said.
 
Mr Chuan said he regretted that 205 million baht in taxpayers' 
money had already been spent on the project but he felt the 
long-term gains were more worthwhile.
 
"This will benefit Bangkok because we can no longer find pieces of 
land of this size in the city."
 
Mr Suthep said the new Supreme Command headquarters would be 
relocated on land owned by the armed forces off Ram-intra Road 
where the Joint Security Command is currently housed.
 
Mr Thamrong said several Cabinet ministers spoke against 
construction of the building on its present site and all agreed it 
must be moved.
 
He said Deputy Communications Minister Thawee Kraikupt said a 
building on the present design would violate the law by exceeding 
official limits on the height.
 
It would also dominate the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall and 
Equestrian Statue and may worsen the traffic situation in and 
around the area, Commerce Minister Uthai Pimchaichon was quoted as 
saying.
 
Justice Minister Suvit Khunkitti said the other buildings in the 
Supreme Command compound should also be relocated along with the 
new building.
 
Mr Thamrong said the site of the present Supreme Command 
headquarters was originally bought by King Rama V and later turned 
into a royal park called Suan Dusit.
 
A Fine Arts Deparment committee suggested that the area be 
renovated and restored based on King Rama V's initiative, said Mr 
Thamrong.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.thai