Teerapatt Prapapyuenyong Thesis
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Swinburne University of Technology | Faculty of Health, Art and Design The changing and hybridising concept of home in the space and architecture of Bangkok from the 19th century to the present Dissertation by Teerapatt Prapapyuenyong Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Design (Architecture) Swinburne University of Technology (Hawthorn), Melbourne, Australia (Submitted May 2019) 1 2 3 4 Abstract Bangkok today is the result of a complex and evolving modernisation process that began under King Rama IV (r. 1851-1868) and continued in various forms during the peaks of his successors Rama V (r. 1868-1910) and Rama IX (r. 1946-2016) as well as during the short- lived reign of The People’s Party (1930-1946). Over this time, the dual relationship between land and water, and between sacred and profane morphed according to different approaches, different ideologies, and different relationships with notions of the West to form a unique Thai identity that hybridised local practices and Western influences to create the urban form of 21st-century Bangkok. The thesis argues that this hybridised identity is manifest at both physical and phenomenological levels. Moreover, it has been shaped by profound social and economic change brought about by a combination of top down and bottom up processes such as royal buildings, urban transformation programs, the social and economic change brought about by Chinese immigration, and the rise of the Sino-Thai middle class. These were underpinned by a unique relationship with Western influences and Western economic powers (in particular that of the USA) to modernise Thailand on the country’s own terms. This research elaborates the theory of place/sense of home from the Western world, drawing on the work of Edward Relph, Yi-Fu Tuan, and Doreen Massey. Crucially, it also engages with Christian Norberg-Schulz’s concept of dwelling of reading the ‘language of architecture’ from the four modes of dwelling (settlement, urban space, public building, and house) in the planning, streets, and buildings in a case study area of the eastern area of Rattanakosin Island. This area has been central to the history of urban development in Bangkok during the four phases of modernisation under consideration. The research analyses the evolution of the Thai concept of home from physical evidence such as photography and in-person observation of the eastern area of Rattanakosin Island, including parts of Sukhumvit Road, which contain streets and buildings that were built during the era of modernisation from the mid-19th to the 21st 5 centuries, thus representing the modernisation policy of three different Thai kings and The People’s Party. I have introduced the idea of looking at the royal modernisation policies and processes as a key social mechanism involved in hybridising the Thai sense of home. In this context, royal modernisation policy is not just a historical movement; it is also a frame for my research analysis in discussing the evolution of the Thai concept of home. 6 Preface Bangkok is the place Bangkokians call home – a place I have called home. Its built environment underwent dramatic urbanisation from the mid-19th century to the 21st century via the modernisation programs of Thai kings and The People’s Party. Their modernisation policies and processes made the city and architecture modern like the West while retaining Thai identity. At the phenomenological level Bangkok’s modern architecture preserved Bangkok’s original identity of place in a way that hybridised it with Western influences. In the 21st century, I have experienced the urban space and buildings of modern Bangkok becoming even more like those of the West. Complex infrastructure delivering water, electricity, road systems, highways, and public transport (BTS sky train and MRT subway) has been built to support a modern, Western-style way of life, along with modern buildings including offices, shopping malls, high-rise apartments, and mass-housing projects but the space of Bangkok has not become that of a wholly Western city. Traditional spaces such as the Grand Palace, the Royal Playground, Buddhist temples, and Hindu-Buddhist shrines coexist with modern spaces and architecture. 7 Figure A: The nearly completed phra meru of Rama IX in September 2017. (Source: Photographed by Urkarn Kajonrungsilp.) Figure B: On the way to worship the body of Rama IX at the Grand Palace in May 2017. The green-roofed building in the middle distance is a traditional building in the Grand Palace that contains the royal coffin of Rama IX. (Source: Photographed by the author. Note that all photographs and diagrams in this thesis have been created by the author unless otherwise stated.) 8 When King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX, r. 1946–2016) died in October 2016 his death transformed the built environment of modern Bangkok into a space of worshipping and mourning. The Grand Palace and Royal Playground on Rattanakosin Island, which had served public purposes and as tourist destinations, were transformed into places for performing the ritual of the king’s cremation. A year later, the body of the dead king was placed in the middle chamber of a phra meru,1 a pyramid-like structure with five peaks (figure A) imitating Mount Meru and burned. I attended Rama IX’s cremation in the Grand Palace, and experienced the change in Thai society after his passing away as we all wore black and expressed sincere grief by visiting the Grand Palace and Royal Playground (figure B). Figure C: A portrait of Rama IX at Erawan Shopping Centre. This portrait was erected at one of the shopping centre’s entrances, facing Sukhumvit Road. I saw the entire city change its daily activities in response to the king’s death. On one of the city’s most important roads, Sukhumvit, I saw giant portraits of the late king 1 Words in bold are defined in the glossary. 9 erected at notable shopping centres such as Paragon, CentralWorld, and Erawan (figure C) to show respect. In the domestic sphere, houses such as my family home and those of my cousins displayed portraits of Rama IX on the wall, and residents worshipped and prayed for the king going to heaven. During that trip, seeing the transformation of urban space, buildings, and houses to serve the purpose of mourning the late king showed me how Western influence and local culture coexisted in modern Bangkok, with modern space and architecture accommodating practices associated with traditional belief. It sparked my curiosity about how the modern space and architecture of Bangkok have contributed to change and hybridisation in the Thai identity and idea of home. In making sense of these phenomena, this study considers the royal modernisation policies and processes of the Thai kings and People’s Party in the light of the theory of place/sense of home to see how the Thai concept of home, specifically, has evolved through modern architecture. It sees that evolution as a response to the sociopolitical interactions of the modernisation efforts of Thai kings with Western influences from the mid-19th to 21st centuries. The resulting hybridisation of the Hindu-Buddhist cosmological model with different forms of modernisation has resulted in the juxtaposition of traditional (sacred) and modern (profane) spaces that I experienced during my trip to Bangkok that momentous July. 10 Acknowledgements Researching the doctoral degree is a long and lonely journey. Researching architecture and urban planning of modern Bangkok at the phenomenological level is very different because there are many new things and challenges to go through. It requires a significant amount of time, patience, and support of many people. My biggest thank is given to my Principal Supervisor, Dr Flavia Marcello, she has strong knowledge in architectural theory and research method. Her expertise helped to build up my research objective and theoretical framework at the initial stage. Not only the academic skills she contributed to me also the passion and enthusiasm for design research were passed to me and my research. Marcello always kept pushing and strengthening my research and writing skills beyond my expectation. Importantly, I would not able to complete my research without my Associate Supervisor, Dr Quoc Phuong Dinh, his proficiency and experience in the Asia study guided me to study changing Thai concept of home in Bangkok. Some of his books and papers inspired my dissertation’s structure, especially the idea of studying the changing sense of place of the city in Vietnam. From the early stage of my research, Phuong Dinh gave me good directions in researching whether in building the main argument, structuring the contents, and developing the writing style. Without Dr Kirsten Day it would not be possible to begin the degree, Day wrote me a recommendation letter to support my PhD application and was part of the review panel. Special thanks also to Dr Carolyn Barnes and my review panel: Dr Nanette Carter (Chair), Dr Daniel Huppatz and Dr Mozammel Mridha. They gave me valuable feedback throughout. Thai scholars from Chulalongkorn University also gave constructive feedback, comments, and research samples. Dr Rachaporn Choochuey helped me to identify the research gap and suggested books which helped me to choose the appropriate method to use for my research argument. Dr Chomchon Fusinpaiboon introduced me to much Thai architectural research, and many of them gave my good research references. From my trip to the 13th ICTS (International Conference on Thai Studies) from 15–18 July 2017 in 11 Chiang Mai, I had a chance to meet and discuss with Dr Koompong Noobanjong. He advised me to know some Thai researchers who studied on phenomenology; it made me understand my research objective and gap better. Most significantly, I am in debt with my family in Melbourne, Australia and back to my home, Bangkok, Thailand.