CITY PULSE | tales from the riverbank
Can you explain the history and the development of the Creative District? When I took on the management of Bangkok River Partners, encouraging businesses along the Chao Phraya River and marketing as a destination for leisure and tourism, I quickly realised we needed to talk about our community. Duangrit Bunnag (DBALP), Pieter Compernol and Stephanie Grusenmeyer (P.Tendercool) and I invited gallery owners, photographers, writers, and entrepreneurs—about 40 people in all—to meet under a tree at The Jam Factory to discuss our part of town. We met every month, and before we knew it, the idea of an art district had become the Creative District. We held regular town hall meetings and soon planned to collaborate on BUKRUK, a significant international street art festival in January 2016. In 2017, we established the Creative District Foundation to help attract financial backing for community projects. How important is creativity for the future of Bangkok? On the subject of creativity, there was a happy convergence of ideas and activities. Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) opened in Grand Postal Building on Charoenkrung Road in May 2017. The government was renewing its support of the creative 44 | NOVEMBER 2018
economy, and in our part of town, there were already digital start-ups, ateliers, artists, chefs and barman. I’ve found that Thai people have a natural disposition for creativity. In the Creative District, makers have been living and working in the neighbourhoods for generations. With the renewed energy and focus of the community, more and more people from creative industries are looking to locate in the Creative District. Business owners such as ICONSIAM, River City Bangkok and Warehouse30 are investing in galleries and museums to celebrate Thailand’s creative talent. How are developments along the river changing and how does this effect Bangkok? There is indeed a sense of revitalisation, reinvention, and renewed interest in being on the Chao Phraya River. The challenge from the Creative District’s perspective is encouraging balance. How do we ensure that everyone benefits from more opportunities for work and a better, greener, more livable environment? How do we protect the historic buildings and shophouses? How do we contribute to the local economy? Can we work with the government to provide high-speed internet, tax incentives and lowcost office rental help stimulate start-up businesses? In our town hall meetings with residents, business owners, government representatives and landowners bangkok101.com