Luenrit Community Conservation and Rehabilitation Project

AFFILIATION
Chumchon Luenrit Co., Ltd. 


DESCRIPTION 
This was a community-led restoration and renovation project of a block of shophouses considered the first in Bangkok's Chinatown. Initiated by the tenants themselves, the project was a response to the owner's plan to demolish the buildings and construct a high-rise commercial structure. By joining forces, the tenants not only prevented the demolition but also renovated the shophouses for their own use. In 2022, the restoration work was completed, and the shophouses were reopened to the public. 

This community-led project served as a valuable lesson for Thai society, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the community and civil society in the preservation and rehabilitation of significant landmarks. It went beyond mere opinion-sharing, incorporating key elements such as joint investment, co-management, and future planning to ensure a comprehensive approach. 

In addition to preserving the buildings for the benefit of the original tenants, there was a shared vision of transforming the site into a vibrant public space. The goal was to provide the general public with an area for engaging in creative activities. While several successful activities have been organized in the past, the project faces a long-term challenge of effectively managing and realizing this vision. Navigating the complexities and meeting the diverse needs of the stakeholders involved will be essential to sustain and fulfil the envisioned concept. 

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Images of the neighbourhood prior the intervention and drawings of the shophouses typologies before and after the intervention. 

 

Beneficiaries

  • Crown Property Bureau; 
  • Chumchon Luenrit Company Limited, representative of the shareholder (the original tenant); 
  • The public is represented by the Fine Arts Department and scholars that guide conservation and rehabilitation; 
  • Next generation: the preservation of the building provides a piece of history and architecture for future generations to study and plan how it will be utilized. 

Outputs

  • The buildings preserved, and the community rehabilitated;

  • Establishment of Chumchon Luenrit Co., Ltd. to oversee the management of the site; 

  • Cooperation of the community in joint investment, co-management and planning.

Outcomes

  • Value of this historic site is preserved;

  • Public awareness raised and engaged in helping conserve and rehabilitate historic sites.