First step towards Bangkok becoming World Design Capital

I’ve never seen Charoen Krung district, which was the main site for Bangkok Design Week, look so vibrant and cool. Over the past two weeks, a large number of visitors, mostly young and chic, have thronged the once sleepy area that is now a creative hub.

A major attraction was the old building that once served as the Central Post Office but is now the headquarters of Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC), the main BDW host. The rejuvenation of this area began a couple of years ago before the TCDC moved from its old office at Emporium.

The concept of the event, “The NEW-ist Vibes”, was applied to different spots, from the TCDC headquarters to the small sois of Charoen Krung district, as well as bars and galleries in Talat Noi and old warehouses in Charoen Nakhon on the other side of the Chao Phraya River. Some places on Sukhumvit also jumped on the bandwagon for the Jan 27-Feb 4 event.

… the idea of rejuvenation through a celebration of design deserves praise. Moreover, the government made it clear that BDW would be one of the elements used to pitch Bangkok as the “World Design Capital” in 2022 to the World Design Organisation next month.