Ready to Light Up Hua Lamphong
ReThink Urban Spaces Bangkok
A youth-led group co-founded by Pakornwit Wiangsripanawan (Jabik), Yanin Thunkijjanukij (Mue), and Apisara Haingsa (Ruangkhao) that focuses on urban community development through participatory processes.
The group collaborates with local communities, entrepreneurs, and youth to drive sustainable and inclusive cultural tourism, particularly around the Hua Lamphong Railway Station in Bangkok.
Our projects emphasize community engagement, cultural preservation, and the co-creation of meaningful experiences through art, storytelling, and design. ReThink Urban Spaces Bangkok is also involved in organizing and co-hosting events like Bangkok Design Week, where we highlight the cultural and historical significance of local neighborhoods.
OurMotto Transforming
Cities, Empowering People
Whywedothethingswedo
Community
Development
Creating micro-landmarks and fostering local pride.
Experience
Generation
Crafting unique, communitybased experiences.
Urban
Community
Transforming public spaces through in-depth research and participatory design.
Youth Empowerment
Engaging and equipping not just young leaders, but all youth.
OurTeam
Co-founder YaninThunkijjanukij
Education
2020 - 2021
Master of Architecture Program (M.Arch.)
Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University
Thesis Title : Morphological Transformation of Rattanakosin old town
2015 - 2020
Bachelor of Architecture Program (B.Arch.)
Faculty of Architecture , Chulalongkorn University
Second Class Honor
Thesis Title : Agricultural Innovation Center, Kasetsart University
YaninThunkijjanukij
Co-founder
Work Experience
2024
Bangkok Design Week 2024 | District Host of Hua Lamphong
Neighborhood, Exhibition curator & Project manager
Bangkok Creative Districts | Project manager
Youth camp: Trang Learning Space | Camp’s project manager and coordinator
2021-2023
Bangkok Youth Member in Rethink Urban Spaces (RTUS)
Role : Project coordinator, Co-leader, Researcher and curator, Speaker, Designer
RTUS Bangkok Study x Tripat Woldorf City Walk | Content Curator and staff
Inclusafe : Group project about children’s safety in Trok Salak-Hin community
Design Week : Taste of Hua Lamphong : histories and transportation of food in the past
Unfolding Bangkok : Taste of Hua Lamphong : Chinese culture and horoscopes fusions
BKK Ranger : Interactive Center Piece : connecting youth’s network around Bangkok
BKK Youth Festival : Final event for RTUS-BKK to exhibit projects and create a space for anyone interested in the city they are living in to connect together.
Professional Experience
2022 - 2023
ARBay Company Limited (Architectural Firm)
2018
Architectural Internship at Atelier cnS, Guangzhou, China
Contest Experience
2023
Content Lab Contest | Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PPT) x Creative Economy Agency (awarded) “Local Xplorer” Application for tourists to experience local histories and food culture with AR technology, to create sense of belonging, to increase the income for locals and also turn same
old self-guided trip into a meaningful tourism experience
2022
Greener BKK Hackathon : Mechanism Design | UDDC (Second Round)
“Park :D” Solution to turn abandonned spaces into public community parks
Re-Frontage Shophouse Design | Urban Ally
Re-design public space along Mahanak canal, Bangkok
Co-founder PakornwitWiangsripanawan
Education
2017 - 2021
Bachelor of Fine and Applied Art (BFA)
School of Architecture, Art, and Design, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
Thesis Title : Media design focused on moral development for children age 3-6 years old in the topic of “Seek the Truth out”
Co-founder PakornwitWiangsripanawan
Work Experience
Jan- Feb 2024, Bangkok Design Week 2024 | District Host of Hua Lamphong
Neighborhood, Exhibition and city walk curator, Project Coordinator
Jun-Aug 2024, Bangkok Creative Districts | Community Engagement & Communication Designer
Aug 2024, Participated in YSEALI Regional Workshop on Sustainable and Inclusive Cultural Tourism in a Post-Covid World at Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
2023
Design Week : Taste of Hua Lamphong : histories and transition of food in the past
Unfolding Bangkok : Taste of Hua Lamphong : Chinese culture and horoscopes fusions
BKK Ranger : Inteactve Center Piece : connecting youth’s network around Bangkok 2022, Thai youth representation at the European Youth Capital, promoting cultural exchange on urban development, Site visit & Participated in discussions and idea exchanges with youth from the European Youth Capitals of Cluj-Napoca, Klaipeda, Thessaloniki, and the Youth Parliament of Berlin.
Bangkok - Foodscape City Walk : Activity to explore about food and public space in Phraya Singha-Seni Alley
2021, Go Deep ss2 : The Journey Of Growth by SCG Foundation x Tact Social Consulting, Volunteer Buddy & Facilitator create activities, follow up and coordinate between SCG Foundation scholarship students and Tact Social Consulting
Professional Experience
2022 - 2023
we!park / Project Coordinator
2020
Urban Creature (Online Magazine) l
Internship Content Writer & Photographer
Contest Experience
2023
Content Lab Contest | Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PPT) x Creative Economy Agency (awarded)
“Local Xplorer” Application for tourists to experience local histories and food culture with
AR technology, to create sense of belonging, to increase the income for locals and also turn
same old self-guided trip into a meaningful tourism experience
Co-founder ApisaraHaingsa
Education
2018 - 2022
Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Sociology and Anthropology and a Minor in Communication Arts, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University
Co-founder ApisaraHiangsa
Work Experience
2024
Bangkok Design Week 2024 | District Host of Hua Lamphong Neighborhood,
City Walk Curator & Project manager
Aug 2023
ROK-Mekon Youth Group Workshop; Thai Youth Representative
Invited by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea to serve as a representative of Thailand
in presenting the collaboration policy framework to policymakers from the five Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea's youth.
Apr 2023
ASEAN-EU Youth Conference on Sustainable Urban Development, Bangkok Youth Representative
Participated in discussions and idea exchanges with youth from the European Youth Capitals of Cluj-Napoca, Klaipeda, Thessaloniki, and the Youth Parliament of Berlin.
Focused on urban development, fostering an inclusive environment where all voices are valued.
Jan 2022
Urban Studies Lab, “New Generation Urban Changemakers and User-Generated City Mini Forum” Guest Speaker
Represent and discuss works on urban development and youth participation as a policymaker with the Deputy Governor of Bangkok
Jun 2022
European Youth Capital Study Trip Thai Youth Representative
Thai youth representation at the European Youth Capital, promoting cultural exchange on urban development.
Site visits to 4 European countries (Germany, Lithuania, Romania, Greece) to exchange and discuss public transportation, education, and sustainability goals with the esteemed organization from Technical University Berlin, Cluj Napoca Municipality, and more.
Jun 2022
Thai PBS’ “The Active” Representative of Youth Fellowships of Rethink Urban Space
Represented and communicated works and initiatives of Youth Fellowship from Rethink Urban Space in Thai PBS’ “TheActive” interview for both Article and News
Contest Experience
2023 Winner Team - Content Lab Contest Organized by PTT, Creative Economy Agency, and Tourism Authority of Thailand
Led a winning team in a highly competitive contest, showcasing creativity in travel application development
Developed a travel application contributing to the community by promoting cultural tourism and fostering the creative economy.
Community & Youth Development
Yesterday OnceMore (2023)
The “Yesterday Once More at Trok Salak Hin Community" brings together 10 young artists to uncover and revive fading memories from the elders in a community rich in cultural heritage. In the past, when cameras were scarce, the area's history went unrecorded. Now, each artist will partner with one elder to capture their stories through paintings, breathing life into memories that would otherwise be lost. One artist, one elder, one story, one masterpiece.
BangkokCreativeDistricts :HuaLamphongNeighborhood (2024)
Organized by Rethink Urban Spaces Bangkok / Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) / Trok Salak Hin Community and Foundation for Child Development
We facilitated a process for students to work with local junior guides, exploring the shophouses in Hua Lamphong to deepen their connection with the community every week for 3 months between June - August 2024
"Re-Tell The Details: Legend of Hua Lamphong" gathered people of all ages to share stories. Exhibitions showcased students' and local groups' unique perspectives on the area's history, shaped by their collaboration with the community. The event concluded with a discussion on future directions for the area, involving youth, the community, and government agencies.
Inclusafe (2022)
We focus on empowering communities through awareness, fostering inclusive urban development. Recognizing that marginalized groups are often overlooked, we aim to inspire youth to see people as central to development and believe in their power to create change. Our Inclusafe project, combining "inclusive" and "safe," works with children in Salak Hin Alley, an old Bangkok community, to promote safety and equality. The project explores sociological perspectives, identifies issues, and designs solutions for a safer, more inclusive community.
TrokSalakHinCommunity LocalJuniourGuides(2024)
The trip "Children of Trok Salak Hin Take PLAY," part of the Bangkok United project, offered a unique experience, guided by local children. Organized by Mutual Ground, RTUS Bangkok, and the Together Foundation for the Disabled and Society, the project promotes multicultural and inclusive learning through tourism. The children, having spent their school breaks designing learning routes in their own community, led us through Trok Salak Hin in Hua Lamphong, sharing their impressions and offering a fresh perspective on the area’s stories.
Nicetomeetyou, NewFriend(2024)
"Nice to meet you, New Friend" is an activity for children aged 9-12, part of the exhibition Dear My Old Friends by Thai artist Pinear. In this process, cherished dolls, worn but rich with stories, are passed from their previous owners to their "new friends." Each doll carries the history and memories of its past, creating a meaningful connection between generations.
Cultural Tourism
ContentLab2023:CreatingThaiContents fortheWorld-(WinnerTeam)
LocalXplorer Application for tourists to experience meaningful travel and local histories and food culture with AR technology, to create a sense of belonging, to increase the income for locals, and also turn the same old self-guided trip into a meaningful tourism experience.
Publication
https://thestandard.co/localxplorer-content-lab-winner/
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=udE3zmScX5M
TasteofHuaLamphongCityWalk
Bangkok Design Week 2023 l Bangkok Design Week 2024 l Unfolding Bangkok
the "Taste of Hua Lamphong" tour will take participants on an immersive journey through the vibrant streets of Hua Lamphong. When exploring a city uses more than just the senses of sight.
But it's about hearing the conversation. Smell of street food Experience the sidewalks and alleys of the Hua Lamphong area. and tasting various flavors of the Hua Lamphong area as well.
TedXBangkok2023 Adventure:SoundofNangloeng
Community Partner curate 2 routes and activities for TedXBangkok 2023 participants to learn from the Past & Develop the Present to Forge a Future for the Nang Loeng Neighborhood through art and culinary.
Exploring HuaLamphong
On Saturday, February 3, 2024, City Connext and UNESCO Bangkok teamed up for a 'Sustainable Gastronomical Experience in UNESCO Locales.' seminar in Bangkok. The event brought together leaders in sustainable tourism from different countries. RTUS Bangkok, as a main group in making cities better, took charge of leading eight participants from ASEAN countries exploring the Hua Lamphong area during Bangkok Design Week 2024.
Bangkok Design Week 2024
: Hua Lamphong District
EngravingHuaLamphong(2024)
TrokSalakHinCommunity,UnderTheTollwayArea
#BangkokDesignWeek2024
Hua Lamphong is more than just a train station—it's a community rich with history and culture. As the area transforms and memories fade, ReThink Urban Spaces Bangkok supported by Goethe Institut Thailand, along with 10 artists, aims to showcase the district’s significance from Yesterday Once More activity. Through art inspired by local stories and sounds, visitors can relive the fading memories of places like Soi Phraya Singhaseni and Trok Salak Hin. The exhibition seeks to highlight Hua Lamphong’s potential, encouraging dialogue between locals and outsiders to preserve its cultural identity and create new opportunities for the future.
ActivityPictures EngravingHuaLamphongExhibition
ArisingHua Lamphong(2024)
The exhibition would like to invite everyone to look back at Hua Lamphong. The beginning of a diverse group of people with many stories to tell. What has disappeared and what remains in the Hua Lamphong area? Because “Hua Lamphong” is not just a train station. Let's get to know Hua Lamphong in other perspectives before these stories no longer remain at Station Hotel.
“Telling Stories From Neighborhood to Neighbor” Academic Program: A Space for Students to Learn and Share Tales of the Community
MadeinHuaLamphong(2024)
Revamping Legacy Businesses and Legends of Hua Lamphong through Design and Creativity
Hua Lamphong, once a bustling gateway to Bangkok, has seen its prominence fade with the rise of modern transit systems. Yet, its story continues, with hidden gems like renowned eateries, generational shops, and unique craftsmanship waiting to be rediscovered.
The Creative Economy Agency (CEA) partnered with ReThink Urban Spaces Bangkok (RTUSBangkok) to highlight the district’s rich heritage.
The Made in Hua Lamphong project paired creative teams with traditional businesses, producing inventive works that breathe new life into the area, showcasing its ecotourism and cultural value beyond the train station's iconic facade.
Media Presence
The Cloud
https://readthecloud.co/rtus-bangkok/
Urban Creature
https://urbancreature.co/rtus-bangkok/
https://urbancreature.co/rtus-bangkok-scoop/
Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlE-d0OyGBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgVFfnYFOEE
https://theactive.net/view/hualampong-eat-around/
Thairath Plus https://plus.thairath.co.th/topic/everydaylife/102762
PostToday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buLgIyeJ_M4
The Standard https://thestandard.co/localxplorer-content-labwinner/
Our Partners
