ABSTRACT [email protected] Faculty of Architecture andPlanning,Thammasat Winyu Ardrugsa Contemporary ‘Public’ Prayer Roomsof Architecture, 2012. Practice andSpatialNegotiation inContemporaryBangkok,PhDDissertation, Architectural Association Schoolof 1 ‘public’ either. Increasingly, this reveals inscribed body-place relationships which are conceived specifi s function foundmainlyinprivatesectorfacilities. seldom found. In fact, the prayerroomisanexclusive prayer roominthesamemanner. Here, the room is of aBuddhistkingdom,oneshouldnotconsiderthe form of‘Muslimspace’.ButinBangkok,thecapital allow onetoconsidertheprayerroomanessential importance and omnipresence in these countries they thinkabouttheroombeforemosque.Its found inpublicfacilities.Whenit is time for prayer, element averycommon roomis prayer that the agree Thai Muslimswhohavevisitedthecountries Many majority. the in are Muslims Indonesia, and In neighboring nations such asMalaysia , INTRODUCTION Keywords: prayerroom,ublics each placeanddifferentsocialcategorizationsofMuslimusers. state organizations c ales: thegeographicalnetwork,placementofroomwithinafacilityandinterior. The examination T This paperispartofthechapter ‘Public’ /‘Home-Land’: Muslim research:‘Stranger’ PrayerRoomsoftheauthor’s Bangkok. domestic, itsexistence is notreally Although theprayerroomcanhardlybeconsidered urban throughout distributed found rooms prayer the exclusivityof Muslim paper investigates his and private corporations. In this paper the prayer room is examined in threeinterrelated In thispapertheprayerroomisexamined and privatecorporations.

little worship space is accommodated in some public facilities owned by owned facilities in somepublic space isaccommodated little worship pace, Muslimsubjectivity,patiality of the individual prayer room inthecityofBangkok. prayer of theindividual is specifically organized around the accommodations investigation becomes apartofdailylife. This paper’s For devoutMuslims,theprayerroomincreasingly Moreover, itinvolvesdifferent groupsofMuslim environment rather than a conventional public space. awareness is ambiguous, as it is a controlled is accommodatedwithinsuchfacilities,itspublic and exhibition centers. Although the prayer room organizations, i.e. shopping malls, private hospitals, private of facilities seemingly-public the within in ‘public’ places. They are to be found mostly specifically employed to problematize prayer rooms here, however, Itis intention. usedwithout not is The term‘public’ addedtotheprayerroom University, Thailand cally to different projected images of ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok 1

Nakhara 85 Nakhara 86 Ablution Corner Figure 3: Prayer area Figure 1: Bangkok’s prayerroomarereviewed. and elements.Secondly,of thepresentconditions between the body andits interior organization through therelationship of thisspaceareexplained In the discussions below, the fundamental properties city. inthecontemporary found increasingly function as apublic be considered it canalso by Islam,and for the practice of the five daily prayers as regulated the bodyandcity. It is bothamaterialsupport The prayer room is afunction closely associated with PRACTICES PRAYER ROOMS AND BODILY prayer roomandthe Thai metropolisareconstituted. how particular relationships between the Muslim Thai public. Ultimately, the paper aims to understand workers –not generally Muslims asasegment of the users, suchasforeignersorlocalsandcustomers Winyu Ardrugsa Partition betweensexes Figure 4: Direction toMecca(Qibla) Figure 2: condition is the division of the prayer area according areanearby.or inaseparated Another necessary the prayeristo be providedeitherwithintheroom space, theareafor the ablutionof the bodybefore direction. As asupporting function to the prayer towards that be abletore-orienttheirbodies should planned emphasizingthe Qibla axis, but the users (Qibla) in Saudi Arabia. The roomisnotnecessarily to thecityofMecca thedirection room istoprovide number of users. The other crucialfunctionof the has no certain standard but depends on the probable space. a walled is commonly The sizeoftheroom properly. theprayerroom Initsspatialorganization, that the procedures of the prayer can take place ways and equipped with particular elements so in particular The prayerroomisaspaceorganized A RoomforPrayer to gender(seeFigures1-7).

and skull hat). Many prayer rooms also have some cases this includes garments for men ( their prayersareprovidedinasmallcloset.In religious dressesforwomen( the body during the prayer. In many cases, sets of of movements the by defined unit spatial smallest provides comfortduringthepractice. The matisthe not areligiousrequirementto prayonthe mat but it The mostcommonelementistheprayermat.It function. by primarily determined objects includes Besides itsspatialorganization,theprayerroom Basic elementsoftheMuslimprayerroom Figures 1-7: Praying Calendar Figure 7: Prayer Mats Figure 5: some examplesusedbythepublic willbediscussed. Only public. the to open not is space prayer of kind this But provided. be also can rooms prayer significant, is employees and alsothefacilitiesofstateenterprises (Rattawisaahagit).Insomeprivateorganizationswherethe numberofMuslim 2

This includes the public facilities owned by the state but contracted to operate over the long term by private companies This includesthepublicfacilitiesowned bythestatebutcontractedtooperateoverlongtermprivate companies telekong ) toperform sarong

prayer calendars.Because the calendar usually Prayer Dress Figure 6: or corporate organizations which appear public. appear which organizations corporate or and thoseinprivate facilities ofstateorganizations the paper focuses on prayer rooms found in the outside the domestic realm. By the term ‘public’, thataprayerroomisonelocated is implied to dedicatearoomonlytheprayerpractice.It uncommon is It room. a as defined necessarily not is out, which where theprayerisoftencarried area prayer room doesnotactuallyexist. There is onlyan urban. InMuslim homes inBangkok, however, the of thisspaceasa‘room’description isinherently the practice, intimate toan related fundamentally Although the main function of the prayerroomis ‘PUBLIC’ FACILITIES PRAYER ROOMSINBANGKOK’S international, it also becomes a decorative element. has beautifulimagesofmosques,bothlocaland prayer rooms. understand thepresentconditionsofBangkok’s an investigationintosuchambiguity, itiscrucialto operated throughcertainrestrictions.Beforestarting or exclusive some appear while to everyone open generally Someare of‘publicness’. degrees and Different prayer rooms maintain different forms not tobeconceivedinastraightforwardmanner. and the Muslim users as members of the public are thepublic characteroftheprayerroom Nevertheless, ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok 2

Nakhara 87 Nakhara 88 Bangkok Art andCultureCenter(BACC)between12-13 May2012. organizations distributedduringthe exhibitionMuslims@BangkokorganizedbyMuslimSiamForum for Art &Cultureat 5 June-August, pp.27-35. Seuksa RongPayaabarnMutsalim NaiPrathet-Thai[theMuslimHospitalin Thailand: A CaseStudy],” SantichonMagazine For Vajira hospital, the report on the attempt to develop the Muslim Building can be found in Massari P. (1995) “Garanee 4 performed outsidethemosqueandprayerroom. 3 Muslim entrepreneursincludeprayerrooms. facilities suchasrestaurantsandhotelsoperatedby conference andexhibitioncenters.Somepublic private sector in malls, hospitals, various shopping by the and developed have mainlybeenprovided prayer rooms now appear in state facilities, they constructing abuildingforMuslimpatients. funds for had donated who families Muslim wealthy ‘Muslim Building’ ( Hospital’s Vajira in initiated was room a 1949, in in Bangkokisunclear. Itiscertain,however, that rooms prayer of public development The historical Ownerships andDistributions ambiguously defined. element the publicprayerroomisstillanunfamiliar requirement, has becomeanestablished disabled employed. Itrevealsthatwhereasthefunctionof subjectivity of concern a rather but compatible, not not exactly an issue of equality, as the categories are the facilities for the disabled and the Muslims here is construction processes. The comparisonbetween in thedesignand rather thananelementintegrated In mostcases,however, theroomisanaddition prayer roomsareinitiatedbyindividualorganizations. in anyformoflegislation. recognized in most public buildings, the prayer room is not which are now required by Thai building codes Unlike thenecessityoffacilitiesfordisabled, sunset andnighttime. obligatory five times daily – at dawn, noon, afternoon, is that prayer prayer ritual,andnotunderstanding the witness to majority Thai the for chance rare element inthe Thai capitalduetotwofactors;the Nevertheless, the publicprayerroomisanunfamiliar namaz It is quitecommonknowledgethat Social andLegislativeContexts Winyu Ardrugsa

Bangkok international airport’s (Don Mueang) prayer room is included in the plan of the terminal building in 1995. be to flexibility of level certain a has it obligatory is prayer Muslim the although that fact the to due possibly is This It is only recent that around 20 prayer rooms are included in the map of mosques, prayer rooms and Muslim It isonlyrecentthataround20 prayer roomsareincludedinthemapofmosques, andMuslim , is a predominant form of prayer in Islam. form ofprayer , isapredominant Tuek Mutsalim ) byagroupof 3 MostMuslim lamat 4 Although Although , or

THE PRAYER-ROOM significant rolealongsidemosques. rooms in public facilities’ allow the rooms to play a areas thaninthesuburbs. prayer The availability roughly defined as more intensified in Bangkok’s city Nevertheless, thepatternsofprayerroomscanbe of prayerroomsbystateorganizations. locations and provisions the on account or report official no which differ from each other. Also, there iscurrently managerial decisions of various organizations, all of authority,on acentralplanning depend butonthe availability of these spaces in Bangkok does not the rooms, prayer for requirement official or legal be easilyfoundeverywhere.Becausethereisno ofdistribution. patterns simple cannot room The reflect not do however, ownership, of types The spaces, this would be a question of how public social spatialityof perceived, conceivedandlived Lefebvre’s Henri to relation in And on discussion by themorepowerfulauthorities(Bhabha,1994). positions arepedagogicallyaccounted for oromitted marginal with subjects how of question the raises conceptualized. Referring to Homi Bhabha, this which theMuslimsandtheirpracticesareexternally by thewaysin determined room isinevitably prayer not operated by Muslim groups,the existence of a Because mostof the prayerroomsinBangkokare space. relationship onnotionsofthepublicand body-place relationship and the effects of this a constructed is entangledinthetensionbetween the subject and place. Specifically, the prayer room to conceptionsof theoretical frameworkinrelation and spatialitydevelop. the This sectionaddresses different forms of relationships between subjectivity The Muslimprayerroomisaninterestingsitewhere PLACE RELATIONSHIP:RITUAL AND 5 on the emergence and organization –bothspatial and organization on theemergence and deCerteau’s notions, the Butler’s, investigation without thebody. BybringingtogetherSibley’s, and theprovisionorcontrolofplaceisnotformed actions isnotformedinavacuum, bodily through subjectivity of formation conceptual the Indeed, 1984). Certeau, (De ways determined various in place ‘strategies’require which an owned tomanipulate identity. Propriety alsogovernsformsofoperations social certain for ‘proper’ as projected are that in itsconstructionandreconstruction investigated way placeisrepresentedorconceivedcanbe places’ variousstylizations.FordeCerteau,the through further differentiated specifically be can the practiceofprayer.identity Buttheconceived through generalized broadly is subjectivity Muslim identities (Butler,the 1990). Bythisunderstanding, but alsoothersocial identities not onlythegender governing the abided gesturesandmovementsof of the body’. These are the ‘performative’ processes ‘stylization the through constructed are subjectivity identities become relevant. For Butler, forms of identities andMicheldeCerteau’s notion onplaces discussiononsocial intersection ofJudithButler’s At thescalesofbuildingandinterior, the at thelevelofnetworksplaces(Sibley, 1995). indications ofinclusionaryorexclusionaryconditions prayer room in public facilities become specific relevant as patterns of or provision absence of the of exclusion’of ‘geographies discussion becomes David Sibley’s(its practicesandrepresentations), foreign to the conventional notion of the Thai body scales. is aformofactivity prayer As theMuslim at differentis comprehended of theroom provision body-place relationshipconstructedinrelationtothe openness, it is, therefore, important that the particular place. To investigate the prayerroom’s exclusivity or the manipulationofdiverseintersectionsritualand These formations are specifically constituted around different organizations. by conceived spatiality and subjectivity Muslim of prayer room can be considered a reflection of forms authorities (Lefebvre,1991).Inthisregard,the domains are conceived and represented by such provinces. routes andEkamaiisthestationfor routestoeasternseasideprovinces. southern and central some and eastern northeastern, northern, for station the is Morchit market. weekend Jatujak and 6

These are , Hua Lampong central train station, Ekamai and Morchit regional coach stations stations coach regional Morchit and Ekamai station, train central Lampong Hua stadium, Rajamangala are These of authority. The constructsandoperationsare positions by operated and constructed are place and becomes aunitinwhichrelationships between body were investigated.Intheseterms,theprayerroom found invariousbuildingtypesandeconomic provided bystateandcorporateorganizations, conditions of prayer roomsinBangkok. The rooms This section delves into current yet unknown CONSTRUCTED RELATIONSHIPS PRAYERROOMS AND publicness ofplacescanbeclarified. of degrees and identities social subject’s the of room arethewaysinwhichcertainconceptions and temporal,bothwithinwithout–oftheprayer and aninternationally-famousweekendmarket. stadium, atrainhub,tworegionalcoachstations users: thenewnational and regional to international programs of these facilities,whicharemorerelated of Bangkok. This correlateswith the architectural of the prayer rooms are locatedinthe outer areas center.a near-empty reveals central Bangkok Most Focusing onprayerroomsofstatefacilitiesin The CentralityofBangkok surroundings. the citycenter andits between of therelationship will enable a perspective and an understanding context. and Afrom Bangkok’s departure centrality conceived inrelation to the facility’s physical location according to the policy of each organization, it is also city. Although each facility’s prayer room is set from the in isolation do notfunction Prayer rooms AREAURBAN DISTRIBUTING PATTERNS INTHE analyzed indifferent yetinterrelatedscales. prayer roomsinthesestatefacilitiescametoexist rooms forMuslims(seeFigure8). prayer provide hospitals medium-sized two Only ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

7 Infact,many 6

Nakhara 89 Nakhara 90 to theinternationallevel. both thesportcomplexandmarket, themainreasonofprovisionprayerroomisupgrading ofthefacilities 27 August 2009 [cited28January2011]); available fromhttp://www.thaipr.net/general/247119. It shouldbenotedthat,for Release, Press (Thailand Month] Ramadan in Room Prayer the Opened Market [Jatujak Rommadon Deuan Nai Nerng Lamat (ThaiPR.NET, Haung 2009 Perd in Jatujak market Talardnud the of director the became officer, Srijaroon, Aroon was constructedlongagobyMuslim sellers,andanewprayerroom,whichwascompletedintheperiod whenaMuslim (Interview, ofThailand SportAuthority the at Governor Nonchai Santibutr, 1 February 2011). the At Jatujuk weekend market, there are two prayer rooms: an old prayer room, which of Office of Director Muslim a the by Santibutr, initiated Nonchai was Dr. 2009, 2011).executive, in January completed complex, 31 sport Rajamangala Sudsertsin, of Khwanlada room (Interview,prayer the 2004 hospital, and the to 2000 Similar between Bangkok of mayor vice the was who 8 provided atthetime. organization oftheexhibitionMuslims@Bangkokatvenuebetween 12-13May2012astherewasnoprayerroom and Cultural Center (BACC) recently accommodates Muslim prayer room. But the initiative seems to come after the 7 and organizations. of Muslimemployees only throughthenegotiations Prayer roomsatstatefacilitiesincentralBangkok Figure 8: Winyu Ardrugsa

For Bangkok General, the room was requested by a group of Muslim employees, with the help of Muttafa Manga Manga Muttafa of help the with employees, Muslim of group a by requested was room the General, Bangkok For Art Bangkok that noted be should It Hospital). Klang (or Hospital General Bangkok and Hospital Vajira are These 8 Consequently there isthelack Consequently Thai metropolis. of state-providedprayerroomsatthecore Prayer roomsatprivatefacilitiesin centralBangkok Figure 9: prayer roomsisshapedbybusinessaims.Nearly sector (see Figure 9). Indeed, the landscape of private the by filled largely is Bangkok central in The absenceofprayerroomsinstatefacilities because most prayer rooms are found at highly correlation between centrality and internationality, a high reflects This organizations. corporate by all prayer rooms found inthis area are owned ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 91 Nakhara 92 these internationalfacilities.CentralBangkok,as targeted astheusersof initially are notthegroup local Muslimsalsohaveaccesstotherooms,they websites (seefor example, Figures 10-12). Although in the this intentionisveryevident of version Arabic and patients; customers of foreign group specific these facilities are initiated mainly to support this medical tourismbusiness. The prayerroomsin of Muslim foreigners participating in Thailand’s Intersection andgenerated bythe continuing growth concentrated mainlyaroundRatchaprasong southern routes). southern routes). 10 addition, Vejthani, Piyavej,PhyathaiandPaoloalsotargetforeignMuslim patients. In Samitivej. and Hospital Bangkok Bumrungrad, are places international highly these hospitals, For 2009.) September Newspaper Kampong Muslim. Thai a is who ex-minister an and Thailand to ambassador Arabia’sSaudi were openers Fortune Town. (CentralWorld Plazaistheonlyplacewhere therewasanopenceremonyfortheprayerroom;invited that are still frequented by foreign Muslim customers are MBK Center, Platinum, Robinson Sukhumvit, and recently IT Mall 9 Homepage ofCentralWorldPlazain Arabic Figure 10: malls and hospitals. internationalized facilitiessuchasluxuriousshopping Winyu Ardrugsa

These notable shopping venues are Central Chidlom, Central World Plaza and . The less famous malls In this case, the airports are Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang. For the coach stations, this is Saitai (the station for In thiscase,theairportsareSuvarnabhumi andDonMueang.Forthecoachstations,thisisSaitai (thestationfor 9 These prayer rooms are outside Bangkok, in particular the southernregion. outside Bangkok,inparticular live who Muslims Thai of majority the to related significantly is provision the station, coach the of transportation hub.Inthecase of aninternational standards functional the to related be to seems coach station provideprayerrooms. the list of state facilities, two airports and aregional regional andinternationaldestinations. To addto rooms indicate the connection from the capital to Besides thecenterofBangkoklocationprayer territory foreigneventothelocalMuslims. exclusive of thesefacilities,isan seen fromthedevelopment 10 This provision provision This Homepage ofMBKCenterin Arabic Figure 11: Homepage ofBumrungradHospital in Arabic Figure 12: ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 93 Nakhara 94 although theplaceisastateproperty, ithas beenoperatedbyaprivatecompanysinceitsopeningin1991. (IMPACT) and Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC). QSNCC is the only facility in central Bangkok; 11 cuisines), Fahana(Italiancuisine) and Aladin (Japanese cuisine). historical zoneofBangkok). The Muslimrestaurantswhicharealsolocated hereare,forexample,Sinthorn(multi-national hotel located in this area is Regent Hotel & Apartments (while another Muslim hotel, New World Lodge, is located in the 16 which issometimescalled‘theMiddle-East Town ofBangkok’) buttheseplacesmainlytargetMuslimforeigners. 15 Daraman, 31January2011). the room has been provided since 2006, a result of appeals from Muslim doctors, nurses and officers (Interview, Maream employees since2010(Interview, NassariMasamaeand SuthepBoonmalert,5February2011). ForNopparat Hospital, 14 provides theprayerroom C and Tesco Lotus do not have the room. It is only recently that a new community mall, a small branch of Tesco Lotus, (Wetchakarunrasm), providetheprayerroom.Largesuburbanmallsin areasuchasFashionIsland,Carrefour, Big 13 in Nontaburi,anadjacentprovinceofBangkok. are there Bangkok, Nontavej, a of private hospital, west and Robinson transitional Department Store the Rattanathibet On for a hospitals. considerable size Vibharam of Muslim and communities Petcharavej Ramkhamhaeng, at provided are since itsearlyyearsinthe1990shasalsotargetedforeigncustomers. Forprivatehospitalsinthisarea,prayerrooms which world, the in mall largest fifth the once Square, Seacon at found also is room section). Aprayer next the in detail rooms areorganizedandoperatedthemainlyprovidedforMuslimemployees(theissuewillbediscussedin malls providing the prayer rooms are The Mall Ramkhamhaeng and The Mall Bangkapi, but from the ways in which the 12 concentration is found (Figure14), mainly inprivate Muslim communitiesisthehighest,onlyaloose Bangkok’s of number the where east, peripheral (Figure 13). a scatteredpatternfoundinlocalmallsandhospitals triggered thecreationofprayerrooms. They create communities urban these of majority,presence the of Muslim communities. they Although are not the east Bangkok,thereareaconsiderablenumber the Within organizations. business by recognized mainly is oftherooms theprovision But, again, areas furtherfromthecenterfacilitatelocalusers. the roomsin of foreigners, privileging exclusive and Bangkok is highly determined by universal standards If the existence of public prayer rooms in central The OtherCentrality representing theirinternationalstatus. considerations towards local Muslims but as entities Their prayer rooms are not merely initiated by promotes itsstatusasinternationallyrecognized. each venue, local significant a is centers these of centers. and exhibition conference of facilitiesprovidingtheprayerroomarethree For privateorganizations,therandomlocations Winyu Ardrugsa

Ramkhamhaeng There areseveralMuslimrestaurants withprayerroomsinthecenter(inNana’s Sukhumvit3/1andaroundthatalley At theMallRamkhamhaengandBangkapi,prayerrooms areinitiatedandmainlyusedbyMuslim In this area, three private hospitals, Synphaet, Serirak and Navamin, and two state hospitals, Nopparat and Nongjok major Two roads. Srinakarin and Ladprao Ramkhamhaeng, of parts along particularly is area concentrating The Center Exhibition and Convention Impact (QSNCC), Center Convention National Sirikit Queen are facilities These In particular, theroadswherethesefacilitiesareconcentratedRamkhamhaeng, RamaIXandSrinakarin. The 12 Fortheareasof and Klongtan Minburi 11 districts in the Although each Although and Nongjok , network shareaslightlysimilarconceptionwith cuisines. many advertised as specializing in ‘international’ and approximately adozenMuslim restaurants, 13). figure emerge onlyintransitionaleastBangkok(see in thecenterofcity, patterns concentrated Bangkok. Although such facilities can be found Muslim communitiesintransitionalandperipheral rooms. The reasonistheconsiderablenumberof owned byMuslimsareincreasinglyprovidingprayer Besides state andprivate facilities, the facilities Muslim employees. some of the rooms here exist due to the initiatives of prayer rooms of state facilities, it should be noted that Muslim eateries but no prayer rooms. hos Muslim facili an exceptionalnetworkdistinctfromotherordinary on theeastofBangkokarecollectivelybecoming these emerging Muslimfacilities with prayer rooms the prayerroomasaspecialservice. Accordingly, The advertisementsofthesefacilitiesofteninclude food which is normally not interested inandable to afford tryingmultinational Muslim customers, who are seen as a special group large corporateorganizationswithregardsto pitals. In local malls, it is common to find many find to common is it malls, local In pitals. 16 15 Nevertheless,thefacilitiesinthis The area includes one Muslim hotel ties. 14

halal (religiously allowed). (religiously allowed). 13 Like the those concerning Bangkok Muslims. Contrary to this, those concerning Bangkok Muslims. Contrary to this, central Bangkokisbasedoncriteriaotherthan is foundthattheclusteringofprayerroomsin practice andpublicterritoriesarerecognized. What rooms, newrelationshipsbetweentheprayer By investigatingdistributionpatternsofprayer Prayer roomsatprivatefacilitiesintransitionalBangkok Figure 13: geographically consolidated. the twoconditionsofcentralities aresociallyand Muslims. to local to theseobservations, According Bangkok areanalternativeform of centrality related area of the prayerroomsfoundin transitional addressed. building in which the room is situated will be organization between the prayer room and the organizational logistics. The spatial andtemporal and positionwithinthecityas wellastheinternal within publicfacilitiesarepartly dueto the function The existence and character of prayer rooms ORGANIZATIONS INBUILDING OPERATIONALFUNCTIONAL AND ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 95 Nakhara 96 leading hospitals servicing patients from the Middle East. leading hospitalsservicingpatients fromtheMiddleEast. 17 conceived. Prayer rooms are often transformed from from transformed areoften rooms Prayer conceived. of userare and theidentity how theidentityofplace reflects place each of organization spatial the into is integrated the room which function, thewaysin Because aprayerroomiscommonlyanadditional Locations andConnections Prayer roomsatstateandprivatefacilitiesinperipheralBangkok Figure 14: Winyu Ardrugsa

These hospitals are Bumrungrad and Bangkok hospitals (not to be confused with Bangkok General). Both are the the are Both General). Bangkok with confused be to (not hospitals Bangkok and Bumrungrad are hospitals These area (seeFigures15-16). built outsidetheward the prayerroomispurposely there aremanyMuslimforeigners, where hospitals private some in Nevertheless, ward. a in room from a patient’sprayer roomiscommonlyadapted In thecaseofhospitals,bothstateandprivate,a buildings. spaces within or leftover rooms available 17 This notonlygivesthe also commonly asasymbolfortheprayerroomis ‘body-in-prayer’ ( include signs Arabic the of many English, and Thai in Besides thenameofprayerroomaddressed through well-allocatedsigns(seeFigures17-20). rooms are connected with other parts of the building centers,prayer and conference hubs andexhibition transportation hospitals, malls, such asshopping facility. In the most international facilities of Bangkok, the placementofsignsandsymbolswithineach The existence of prayerroomsareindicated through connections arecommunicated. to otherpartsofthehostfacilityandhowthese difference bywhichtheselocations arelinked significant a is There workers. or customers locals, for foreigners, of prayerroomsprepared locations there seemstobenodifference betweenthe out ofthemainareas. Although, inthesecases, are often prayerroomlocations For otherfacilities, a dedicatedspace. and more importance isgiven of Muslimforeigners specificity of the ritual. By this comparison, the prayer the reflects also but location, better a room prayer General istransformedfromapatientroom. room ofBangkok The prayer General. Bangkok a statehospital, and Bumrungrad, hospital, rooms ataprivate The prayer Figures 15-16: also applied to general users. also appliedtogeneralusers. Although theschedulesandregulations of The MallBangkapiseemtobeaddressedits Muslimemployees,theyare 19 18 Musallah

For local facilities, the scheduled service is found at The Mall Bangkapi, Vajira Hospital and Synphaet Hospital. Hospital. Synphaet and Hospital Vajira Bangkapi, Mall The at found is service scheduled the facilities, local For The notableexceptionhereisthe prayerroomofSeaconSquareshoppingmall. . oevr te ipiid iue of the figure simplified the Moreover, ). used. Contrary to this, the prayer the buildings through ill-informed signage systems. Muslim employeesarequiteisolatedfromtherestof rooms of local facilitiesservingMuslimsand beginning ofeachtime. to anotheranditisnotnecessaryprayatthe from one all fourprayertimesareinfactcontinuing practiced. Fromnoontolateevening are actually prayers daily the way contrasts with of participation (see Figures21-23). facilities local This form of appears morein temporal organization and thesearewithinanhourofeachprayertime. used, be can room the which in periods fixed four service hoursofthefacilities. There arethreeto the local hospitalsdonotremainopenthroughout malls and Several oftheprayerroomsinshopping managed. the roomsare in theway also found are Relationships between prayer practice and place Regulations information desk. their owndiscovery or inquiring with the facility’s often knowntolocalMuslimvisitorsonlythrough used. Consequently, the provision of the room is is rarely body praying the of figure symbolic The ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok 19 The schedules The 18

Nakhara 97 Nakhara 98 These requirements areconstruedasalienatingThese requirements 24 -25). the time.(seeFigures record in and to sign recorded. Arequires participants groupoffacilities Another issuerelatesto the ways in whichusageis Hospital andTheMallBangkapi. of prayerroomsatlocal facilities:Vajiraservice hoursandregulations Signs addressingscheduled Hospital,Synphaet Figures 21-23: MBK Centerarewell-distributed. facilities, suchas Bumrungrad Hospital,PiyavejRobinsonSukhumvitand Prayer roomsignsininternational Figures 17-20: Winyu Ardrugsa and one sport stadium; nearly all ofthemarethe and onesportstadium;nearly request is found of at two form shopping malls, fiveThis hospitals room. the of necessity the justifying because itisamandatetogenerate avisitingrecord Signing Booksatalocalhospital,Ramkhamhaeng,andmall, TheMallBangkapi. Figures 24-25: room orwelcomedonlyduringcertaintimeperiods. hidden, confined only within the often isolated prayer that of local facilities. The ritual of the prayer is not in internationalfacilitiesseemstobehigherthan facilities. The degreeofpublic awarenessofrooms hours betterthanlocal rooms withtheiroperating Likewise, international facilities seem to connect the into the places more than the rooms of local facilities. facilitiesarewellembedded rooms ofinternational part ofeachpublicfacility. Forinstance,prayer as differently established is room Each revealed. be can rooms the of provision bythe inscribed of prayerrooms,thebody-placerelationships By examining the spatial andtemporal organizations and users. its internalelements place throughformscontrolling hours and requiring identification reflect the notionof luxurious mall.Boththroughestablishingservice coach station,orthroughexclusivity, suchasthe types, suchastheairportor of building standards prayer roomsareestablishedthroughfunctional practice isnotrequiredatinternationalfacilitiesas prayer roomsmainlyusedbylocalMuslims. foreigners: MBKandRajamangala. Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, and Rajamangala National Stadium. There are two places which are possibly visited by Muslim 20

These are MBK Center, the Mall Bangkapi, Klang Hospital, Vajira Hospital, Nopparat Hospital, Nontavej Hospital, Hospital, Nontavej Hospital, Nopparat Hospital, Vajira Hospital, Klang Bangkapi, Mall the Center, MBK are These 20 This The provision of additional areas from the prayer Spatial Arrangements to the projected identity of each place and its users. practice butarerelated to theprayer not essential are other arrangements the directionofMeccaall an intimateprayingspace,withablutionareaand prayer practice. Besides the necessity to provide organizations arenotalwaysdeterminedbythe room’sdesign. interior The prayerroom’s internal fromthethe prayerroomcanbeinvestigated The relationshipbetweentheprayerpracticeand INTERIOR ARRANGEMENTS OFTHE single room. room. single appropriate no is there means This by localMuslimsarecommonlydesignatedasa sexes, the prayer rooms in facilities frequently visited groups. Focusing on the spatial divisionof the two reflects a special recognition towards certain Muslim but also a senseofluxury conveys not only space ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 99 Nakhara 100 within theroom. These include The MallBangkapi, NontavejHospital,andNopparatHospital. Bangkok Hospitalprovidetheprayer roomforbothsexes. Among localfacilities, onlyseveralprovideasmallpartition 21 below, theprayerroomsofTheMallBangkapiandNongjokHospitalareexamples. are shownabove. and PiyavejHospital room; inthepictures as asingle At localfacilities, theroomisoftenprovided center by sexes;here,the prayer roomsofMBKshopping facilities often havetheprayerspacedivided Internationalized Figures 26-29: of the daily prayers in several facilities regularly There are often areas beyond the actual requirement (Figures 30-31). however, is given to ablution spaces in local facilities the room, it is often of quality design. Less attention, inside from theprayerroom.Ifitislocated separate facilities are purposely built and are generally differentiated. Mostablutionareasinworld-class areacanalsobe oftheablution this, theprovision 26-29). (Figures foreigners Muslim is foundinmostprayerroomsoffacilitiesvisitedby between menandwomen. separation The contrary Winyu Ardrugsa

Most prayerroomsofinternationalized facilities,suchasCentralWorld, CentralChidlom,BumrungradHospital and 21 In addition to Inaddition room isevenusedfortheweeklycongregational number of Muslim patientsandemployees. The significant a having facility the to due room, prayer largest the isalso it room; the frontof in located sofas with asetofcomfortable area equipped gathering At Bumrungrad, theprayerroom has anexpanded room. the prayer in practices common redefining areas sets ofprivileged also provide these facilities different sexes andthe dedicated ablution area, of separateprayerroomsfor the provision Besides facilities. the twomostluxurious Chidlom, Central and Hospital casesareBumrungrad exemplary visited by Muslim foreigners (Figures32-35). The Figures 32-35: provided withintheprayerroom.HereareexamplesfromBangkokHospitalandSeaconSquare. it isoften facilities, at local while as aseparatedspace is oftenprovided area the ablution facilities, At international Figures 30-31: Bumrungrad Hospital,Bangkok CentralChidlomandRobinsonSukhumvit. visit. regularly foreigners Muslim rooms where in orfrontoftheprayer areas Additional are from pictures Above ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 101 Nakhara 102 23 a coffee cornerandabookshelf. 22 and decoratedprayerroom. center,shopping Chidlom The prayerroomatCentral to bethebest equipped Muslim, appears targets foreign which Figures 36-38: More attention is clearly given to prayer rooms constructed identities of placeanditsusers. The issueofadornmentisalsocentraltothe provided, or are provided carelessly or inadequately. not are objects these facilities local in facilities, practice. Contrary totheseclassyandhigh-standard mean thehighestattentionisgiventoprayer daily.changed being World Plaza,theprovideddressesare advertisedas Chidlom. at Central found neatlyhanging At Central privilege. A women’s of set beautiful is attire praying standards and prayer roombecomeasignofglobal of the as theelements are betterequipped, facilities Generally,international books. religious of shelves mats, praying attire for Muslim women and men, plus prayer include prayer.These the to related objects there arealsodifferent levelsofpreparation Besides the differences in spatial arrangements, Decorations of privilegeforMuslimcustomers. offerareas the additional places, sense thehighest to other space hereisrelativesmallincomparison during theprayer.belongings Although theprayer making tea or coffee and a set of lockers for personal area ofcomfortablesofasandatable,cornerfor prayer onFriday. store providesan The department Winyu Ardrugsa

Kampong NewspaperSeptember 2009. Robinson Sukhumvitisanothermall frequentedbyMuslimforeignerswhichalsoprovidesanadditional seatingarea, 23 details These minuteservice 22

by large ornamentedcarpets. by large highlyadorned These airport, theprayerroomsarecovered international 39-42). At BumrungradhospitalandBangkok’s (Figures into thedecorations and pavilions arches and BangkokHospitaltrytoincorporatepatterns, in an‘Islamic’ pattern. Likewise, Paolo Hospital by wallpaper are covered of theentrycorridor walls awkward, thedecorationstandsout.Here, At CentralWorld, althoughtheplanningseems is made of blocks ina beautiful geometricpattern. area ablution the defining partition solitude. a Also, exclusive of sense a create to element superfluous the are used to define entries as wellasacting as designers. (Figures 34, 36-38). Pointed arches Chidlom is the most stylish and it clearly involved standards. international The prayerroomof Central prov inter more the at room prayer the of exclusivity of the interiorconditionofprayerroom,sense By investigatingthebody-placerelationshipthrough poor condition(Figures43-44). facilities canbeworse,asthingsareprovidedinvery provided mainlyforMuslimemployeesinlocal sites. Additionally, theconditionofprayerrooms and thereconsistingmostly of images of religious Local roomscontainbanaldecorationsputuphere atmospheres arenotfoundinordinaryfacilities. mihrab nationalized nationalized facility is affirmed. The relationship ided forinternationalcustomersaccordingto giving direction to Mecca; there is no Figures 43-44: Hospital, BangkokHospitalandRajamangalaNationalStadium,respectively. Examples of prayer in internationalfacilities.Thesepicturesarefrom room decorations Central WorldPlaza,Paolo Figures 39-42: employees butisalsousedbycustomers. The prayerroomat seemsto be providedmainlyfor The MallRamkhamhaeng. Theroom,inpoorcondition, Muslim ‘Public’ PrayerRoomsofContemporaryBangkok

Nakhara 103 Nakhara 104 of Bangkok. intimate spatiality and Muslim subjectivity in the city of formations the particular engendering processes the Thai public. Rather, bethe it should of part specific a users, its and facility specific this bring back a familiarsenseof the term ‘public’ to The centralconcernforthetaskisnot,however, to being negotiatedoralteredbypracticingMuslims. are the participants and room, theprayerpractice the constructed relationships between the prayer critical questionforfurtherinvestigationis that they are regularly visited. Nevertheless, the could accommodateaprayerroomonthebasis there aremanyimportantstate-facilitieswhich in urban Bangkok. The investigation reveals that utilized by Muslim minorities working andliving More andmore,publicprayerroomsbecome exclusivity. public awarenessandtheincreasingdegreesof prayer room also form of limitations the degree of the prayerpracticeand between relationships of conclusions thesemulti-facetedandmulti-scale ofspatiality, Interms customers andemployees. the latter also contains differences between potential and thepoorerMuslims(mainlylocals). The class ofusers,thericherMuslims(mainlyforeigners) intersects withthe general distinctionof the social unfolding throughout the examination, constantly regard to marketingpriority. The distinction, gradually are basedon‘foreign’ and‘local’in categorization, patrons. the of conceptions conceptionsThese of eachprayerroomismadethroughdifferent conventional notion of public space. The development and corporate organizations which changes the the currentexclusivityofprayerroomsstate ‘public’ambiguous facility. investigated This paper found inBangkok’s publicplaces,yetitisan The Muslimprayerroomisafunctionincreasingly CONCLUSION of usersandspecificidentitiesplaces. conceptions specific reflect organizations internal and localfacilities;the the interiorofinternational the prayer. What is significant is the contrast between projected atmosphere enhancing the performance of the through and activities related prayer’s the of extension specific the through procedures, prayer operate throughtheminuteunderstandingof provisions These decorations. and objects special of the prayer is connected with additional areas, that isfoundrelatestothewayinwhichpractice Winyu Ardrugsa negotiating

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