Bangkok Art & Cultural Center

We had waited for so long. The street corner used to be a little public park nobody frequented. Due to its prime location, one of the former governors of Bangkok (who now is an ousted prime minister of Thailand who could be jailed for two years) wanted to turn it into a parking lot. A guy like that deserves a sentence, doesn’t he? Anyone who encourages driving!

Note: he is not going to serve some 24 months in jail for that reason though.

Mr. Apirak, during his last term as the Governor of Bangkok, (he just got re-elected earlier this month) made this hip gallery happen.

If you think you might be going blind because of the myriad of goods on offer at a bunch of shopping malls nearby, stop at Bangkok Art & Cultural Center for the good and the better. It is just across the street from the MBK Center. But there’s no need to wait for a green light to cross a busy street. There is a skywalk from the MBK Center which means that the new round gallery is just half a minute away. Let’s see what Thai artists have to say.

The current feature is “Traces of Siamese Smiles,” (Thailand's old name is Siam) which will be on until late November this year. In addition to this exhibit , less established artists, esp. painters, are allowed to exhibit and sell their master pieces over some weekends. The front of the building is where the “trade” would take place. See? We love street enterprises and just maybe you will find another Bangkok souvenir to bring home and brag about.

Just a few hundred meters away from the new gallery, there is this little compound tucked inside a little lane housing a beautiful teak house. Heard of Jim Thompson? That’s right. It is the Jim Thompson House. While he was alive, he was an ardent art collector. Go visit his superb residence here in the heart of Bangkok, and you’ll see what the fuss is all about.

Decades later, a local man built a sizable building to showcase local arts. If Mr. Thomson was still here, he would be so pleased. Maybe this is the beginning of an art scene of some sort for Bangkok. So, don’t write this third-world city off just yet.

Art happens when people have enough to eat. Art is created when we can afford more time to think of things other than survival. Bangkok is still far from being a loaded city, financially speaking. But, she somehow conjured up this artsy place so snobs from around the world won’t have too many insults to hurl.

Nearest skytrain station: National Stadium.

Joe