Museum relocation given the go ahead
Rik Ponne
As a long-time visitor to Laos, I too am saddened, and appalled, to think that the Museum building will be demolished. And apparently the National Library too.Yes, sure the building could be adapted as suggested, it happens in lots of places. But if the Government wants to introduce tourists to the 'history and culture of Laos', much better to leave the Museum where it is, walkable and in the centre of town, and upgrade it. Who is going to traipse out to KM 6? Importantly, the building itself aside, it's a question of scale. Keep the phallic complexes to the periphery, with gardens and pool and a shuttle service into town.For years I've been watching the state of heritage buildings in Vientiane. One is/was a charming little shop house on Fa Ngum Road, which was shut up and disused. Apparently the owner said there was too much repair work needed to rent it out. Still for years it sat there, until last December it was being demolished. I hate to think what has replaced it.The Atelier du Patrimoine & Institut de Recherche en Urbanisme has details of a November 2002 international symposium "Vientiane, inventory and protection of heritage in urban development". Papers may be available.What are the chances of doing something about reversing or reorganising this decision?(It's only a small proportion of tourists who want to go tubing in Vang Vieng. And I wonder how long the ban will last.)GayOn 21/09/2012, at 6:12 PM, Melody wrote:I did think Vientiane had some heritage orders on its buildings. I would have thought that this might qualify for preservation. The city is getting pretty tacky.
I agree with Eddie. Yes it has been done before but does Mr Khampay know how to blend ?On 9/21/2012 4:36 PM, Eddie Vernon wrote:I don't see anything wrong with moving the museum collection to a new location but it does seem crazy to destroy an 87 year old building. Why not keep the building and, if necessary, just build the new hotel around and over it - a building within a building? I bet there is an example of such an approach somewhere else in the world. The inner historic building could be renovated and converted for another use (e.g. hotel lobby and coffee shop, conference hall, wedding banquet hall, indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, night club, art gallery, etc).
By the way, Mr Khamphay's company built the UN building near the monument - I've never been inside it. I wonder how did that turn out?On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:04 PM, thiphaphone phetmany <thiph...@gmail.com> wrote:It's a very sad...... . I hope this is only a joke ! If not, what else left for our children generation to see and be proud of our Lao National identity.On 21 September 2012 12:51, Keith Barney <barneysv...@gmail.com> wrote:Hi LaoFAB:
Very sad to see the National Museum be torn down....
But let's face the facts, tubing in Vang Vieng is what more tourists are interested in....
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/blogs/the-backpacker/tubing-scene-is-ruined-and-its-your-fault-20120915-25z37.html
It's just the way of the modern world, i suppose...
- keith
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 2:01 PM, Lany V <lan...@yahoo.com> wrote:Museum relocation given the go aheadThe government has given permission for a Lao company to build a four-storey building to house the National Museum, which will be relocated from its current site on Samsenthai Road in central Vientiane.A local construction company has undertaken to build the new museum as part of an exchange deal where it will be allowed to develop the site of the old museum.Khamphay Sana Construction Group will spend US$10 million on the new museum, which will be located in the Km 6 area near the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum in Xaythany district.An agreement on the project was signed on Tuesday between the Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Buangeun Xaphouvong, and company President Mr Khamphay Somsana.Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Prof. Dr Bosengkham Vongdara and other officials also attended the signing.Mr Khamphay said work on the new museum will begin in the upcoming dry season, either in November or December, and the project is expected to take about two years.“The Party and government have given priority to building a new National Museum, which will provide a new face for our capital,” he said, revealing that the new building will be more than 80 metres long and 56 metres wide.Mr Khamphay spoke to the media after the signing ceremony, saying his company intends to build a five star hotel on the site of the existing museum.“ As we all know, there are not enough luxury hotels in Vientiane, particularly when regional or international events take place. For this reason, I want to build a hotel to satisfy the market demand,” he said.“I want to build the hotel as high as possible - at least more than 20 floors - depending on the decision of the authorities.”Mr Khamphay said construction of the hotel will start after the new National Museum is built and all the fixtures and artefacts contained in the museum have been relocated.In the meantime, the company will prepare to build the hotel, finalising the name, design and other details.The French colonial building opposite the National Culture Hall where the National Museum is currently housed was built in 1925.The museum displays the history of Laos, and highlights the Lao people's struggle to liberate the country from foreign occupiers and imperialist forces. Recent archaeological finds in Vientiane and other areas have further added to the richness of the cultural section.Officials said the existing building was degraded and believed it would not prove useful in the long run so they felt it was necessary to build a new one.The new museum will be built in a modern Lao style and will showcase the history of Laos so that overseas visitors can learn more about the country and its people through the exhibits on display.By Somsack Pongkhao
(Latest Update September 20, 2012)LanyTel: (856-21) 261553
Rik Ponne
Hi all,
I do know the relocation of National Musem and Library shocks all of us, but that's direction of GoL want be for its future. I do hope it's last chance for all of us to have a look how it looks like and to mourn for two historic places before it will disappear from the Vientiane map and replace by five star hotel to reside ghosts as Done Chan Palace is or shopping centre for chinese selling fake goods.
awful development.
Tuey
Sep 25 (1 day ago)
RE: [LaoFAB] Re: museum to relocated
Hi all patriotisms,
I'M TOO MUCH SAD TO KNOWING THIS!!!! THIS IS HOW THE POWER OF MONEY WORK?
BUT NOT OF THE HEART!
Best,
KP
Sep 25 (18 hours ago)
Hello Rik,
Thanks for letting us know about this forum. A great idea! I have signed up... and I recommend any LaoFAB members interested in cultural heritage to do the same. These issues are usually outside the scope of LaoFAB, so it is great to have another place to share this information.
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/laochf
Cheers, Andrew
Sep 25 (17 hours ago)
Re: [LaoFAB] Re: museum to relocated
So far the sentiments all seem to hint in one direction. What can be done towards VUDAA to provide some more direction how to deal with historic buildings? By the way what happened to the 28-storey hotel project Latsavong? It seems as quit as the MegaMall in Sikhay.
Mixay
Sep 25 (16 hours ago)
Re: [LaoFAB] museum to relocated
If I were rich I would certainly purchase one of those few remaining French villas...anything to help Vientiane remain some of the charm it is rapidly losing. As a former resident of wonderful Vientiane, I am truly in mourning about the passing of the museum and the library.
Angela Dickey
US cell phone 571-243-8368
US home phone 703-533-7951
Sep 25 (15 hours ago)
Re: [LaoFAB] museum to relocated
well all tastes exist in nature... The idea of a building within s building is very attractive. But I would prefer the outer part to be nice and less than 20 storeys.
I thought the limit was 7 floors. But then where is the limit when one has money?.
The UN building is rather nice inside, pleasant but not esthetically beautiful.
If the taste and choice of the national population is to abandon their lao-ness and build a new NY, or Shanghai it is their privilege.... The tourists will like it as long as beerlao is cheap. The business men will like it as long as they can take the money and run. And for all the crooks and thieves attracted by big buildings and display of wealth, they certainly will like it. ANd the security companies and militia-like businesses, they will love it.
And for those who don't like it, they can move to... euh ... well I don't know... back to Europe maybe, or south America. I am sure there are still some places where esthetic and quality of life exists, if you have enough money to find them. Or the courage to walk.
Tuey
Is there any way that this Forum can take action to influence such
decision or jus Forum to discuss issues among ourselves? We know by
heart all Medias are still sleeping. Vientine Times has a column and
always ask publics that what do you think about this, abou that, eg.
road upgrade in VTE, increasing salary, WTC... but never ask the
publics what do they think about relocation of those historic places.
Cheers,
Tuey
>
> >> It's a very sad...... . I hope this is only a joke ! If not, what else
> >> left for our children generation to see and be proud of our Lao National
> >> identity.
>
>
> >>> Hi LaoFAB:
>
> >>> Very sad to see the National Museum be torn down....
>
> >>> But let's face the facts, tubing in Vang Vieng is what more tourists are
> >>> interested in....
>
> >>> It's just the way of the modern world, i suppose...
>
> >>> - keith
>
> >>> > wrote:
>
> >>>> *Museum relocation given the go ahead*
> >>>> (Latest Update September 20, 2012)*
>
> >>>> Lany
> >>>> Tel: (856-21) 261553- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Rik Ponne
This is a forum to discuss issues related to cultural heritage in Laos. It's
not linked to any media organization or government agency.
As to your question how to influence decision-making, I would like to invite
the group members to share their ideas about this. One possible approach
could be petitions. I recall that in Thailand someone was using
www.change.org's online petition service to try to reverse the plan to
demolish one of the older cinemas in Bangkok (Scala or Lido, I can't
remember now which one), and more recently to petition the Thai Government
to take action against the Xayabouly Dam (http://www.change.org/petitions/
ร่วมลงนามถึงนายกรัฐมนตรีไทย-หยุดเขื่อนไซยะบุรี-ปกป้องวิถีแม่น้ํา
โขง-to-prime-minister-of-thailand-stop-xayaburi-dam). What are people's
thoughts on this? And what other approaches are there?
Best regards,
Rik
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Rik Ponne
I have just signed a petition to preserve a Frank Lloyd Wright house in Phoenix (http://www.change.org/petitions/city-of-phoenix-save-the-david-and-gladys-wright-house). What do you think, should we create one for the Vientiane National Museum (and the library)?
Rik
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Julie Van Den Bergh
Rik
I think we should! I hope there will be much interest out there to preserve what is left of Vientiane before its character is completely destroyed and replaced by soulless malls.
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Julie Van Den Bergh
Rik,
we should formulate an argument why this is such an atrocity. Want to have a go first?
J |
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