Bangkok, 11th September 2018 – The director of the Department of City Planning (DCP) has advised that if the government agency responsible for renovations to Victory Monument can’t be identified, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will have to take on the work itself. The Deputy Prime Minister is to hold a meeting on the matter.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, has announced that all relevant agencies are to engage in a meeting to settle which of them is responsible for the maintenance of Victory Monument, noting that the roundabout is not under the auspices of the War Veterans Organization of Thailand.
The BMA has already discussed the matter with a number of agencies and has handed the matter to the Department of City Planning. DCP Director Sakchai Boonma said today his office is waiting for the Fine Arts Department, Treasury Department and Department of Highways to conclude which department is responsible for the monument as that agency will then be responsible for providing funding for any renovation work. He explained that if none of the departments accepts responsibility, it will fall to the BMA to take on the work. Clarity is expected wihin a month and the outcome will be reported to the capital’s permanent secretary.
Historically, the BMA has only provided cleaning services to Victory Monument and maintained its surrounding area. It recently began a process to identify the monument’s legally reponsible agency as part of a plan to construct a tunnel under it.
Victory monument was built to memorialize soldiers, police and civilians who lost their lives in a conflict between Thailand and France over border demarcations in French-Indochina. A total of 59 Thai lives were lost during the battle. Gen Phraya Phahonphonphayuhasena laid the foundation stone for the monument on June 24, 1941 and it was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram on June 24, 1942. It was designed by M.L. Pum Malakul and its surrounding statues were created under the supervision of Arts Professor Peerasi.
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