Pattaya’s monument to HM the late King Rama IX finally could be getting its long-overdue renovation.
The memorial originally erected to honor King Bhumibol’s winning voyage in the 4th Southeast Asian Peninsula Games had faded and now dishonors the beloved monarch’s memory.
Deputy Mayor Banlue Kullavanijaya and Fine Arts Department assistant secretary Reunglarb Thipthong visited the rectangular structure atop steps on the beach between sois 11 and 12 Sept. 17.
Banlue stood in the same place in June 2019, announcing that Pattaya officials had resolved to let the Fine Arts Department come up with a new design. Nothing has been done in the past 27 months.
Pattaya announced in March 2019 its intention to improve the landscaping around the monument, fence it off and make it more prominent, but did nothing.
Now, Banlue says, the city has a budget for Fine Arts to build a new monument. The first step was for the department to inspect the remnants of the original memorial and the area where it sits on the beach to determine if the site is suitable.
Reunglarb said his survey will be given to the sculpture department to propose a design related to the King sailing the famous race. Then the department will request royal permission to construct the new monument.
If the Royal Household Bureau gives their permission, the project will be passed back to Pattaya build.
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