BANGKOK — The Thai parliament building, which was only inaugurated six years ago and only fully handed over in mid-2023 after more than a decade of problematic construction work, has once again become a political flashpoint. The Secretariat of the House of Representatives has proposed almost 1 billion baht (approx. USD 27 million) for renovation work in the 2026 budget.
Several renovation projects are outlined in the budget proposal including:
- Parliament Museum renovation: 120 million baht ($3.64 million)
- New audio system for 1,500-seat seminar room: 99 million baht ($3 million)
- Renovation of CB406 meeting room: 118 million baht ($3.64 million)
- Lighting system upgrades on seminar floors B1 and B2: 118 million baht ($3.64 million)
- Renovation of the Information Room: 180 million baht ($5.47 million)
- Renovation of the Kaew Pavilion, including installation of air conditioning: 123 million baht ($3.74 million)
- Parliament kitchen upgrades: 117 million baht ($3.55 million)
The extensive spending plan comes at a time when Thailand is facing economic headwinds, including slow GDP growth, high household debt and the threat of US tariffs. It also follows the collapse of a newly constructed building for the Auditor General’s office, an incident that sparked public skepticism about government construction spending.
As the parliament complex is named Sappaya Sapasathan, meaning “place of virtuous deeds,” criticism has intensified. Critics include the public, internet users and even lawmakers.
Architect Protests Renovation Plan
The national artist and chief architect of the parliament building, Chatree Ladalalitsakul, submitted a letter on May 8 to the Senate Committee on Religion, Ethics, Arts and Culture opposing changes to the original design of the building.
Chatree particularly objected to the plan to roof over the Emerald Pool and convert the area into a library and commercial space. He argued that the claims about water leaking and the proliferation of mosquitoes were unfounded. In his opinion, the pool was equipped with a proper filtration system, like a swimming pool, and if operated properly, would not become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
He explained tha the Emerald Pool was designed with a swimming pool-like filtration system. With proper maintenance and daily water circulation according to standard procedures, it would be impossible for mosquitoes to breed.
“As for the leakage issue, this is a construction quality issue and should be the responsibility of the contractor as the work is still under warranty and has only recently been handed over. There is no reason to consider the contractor’s problem as our own,” he said.
He also warned that moving the library from the 9th to 10th floor to the first floor would be structurally risky and financially wasteful. The library has already cost over 100 million baht and is underutilized. Moreover, it is connected to the archive on the 8th floor and mainly serves MPs, senators and staff. If public access is to be made easier, he suggests building a new library outside the main building instead.
Answer: why the glass pavilion has no AC
Chatree explained that the Parliament was designed as an energy-efficient “pantry-style” building with cross-ventilation and strategic lighting for passive cooling, even in Thailand’s hot seasons.
He pointed out that filling in the pool to build a new library would require extensive air conditioning of the now ten-storey atrium, which would incur enormous installation and electricity costs.
Regarding the glass pavilion, another focus of the renovation proposal, Chatree also expressed disapproval. Originally designed for ceremonial purposes like religious rites, the pavilion is naturally cooled by the surrounding water and was never intended to be air-conditioned.
“This building wasn’t just designed for utility. It was envisioned as a symbolic architectural sculpture, reflecting Thai wisdom and spirit, a modern Thai landmark in global architectural circles,” he said.
World’s Largest Parliamentary Building
The Thai Parliament is located on the Chao Phraya River at the southwest corner of the Kiakkai intersection in Bangkok’s Dusit district. With an area of 424,000 square meters, it is the largest parliament building in the world, surpassing even the Palace of Parliament in Romania.
The project began in July 2008, with pile driving starting on June 8, 2013 and completion originally scheduled for 2015. However, due to delays, including four contract extensions and disruptions caused by COVID-19, full operation was postponed to May 1, 2021. The final handover was completed on July 4, 2021.
The building is often referred to as the “10 billion baht parliament”,” referring to its official cost of 12.28 billion baht. Although it is touted as environmentally friendly, it does not have solar panel infrastructure, resulting in high electricity costs. Other problems such as leaking roofs, faulty water pumps, collapsed ceilings and stagnant water in the Emerald Pool have sparked criticism as to whether the costs were justified.
Renovation for Better Use
On May 7, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Pharadorn Prisananantakul, led parliamentary reporters on a tour to explain why the renovations were necessary.
He highlighted the seminar room on level B2 with 1,500 seats, which needs to be modernized at a cost of 99 million baht. The room is currently dim and acoustically poor, unsuitable for large national events, forcing the government to rent expensive hotels.
“If we had a fully functional hall, it would not only benefit MPs, but also the public, who could use it for various events,” he said.
He also referred to the unused 6,000 square meter parliamentary museum. Ideally, it should be a living, technology-based educational center for politics, legislation and administration that invites repeat visits.
Pharadorn said that all proposed projects will be evaluated based on three main principles: Necessity, cost-effectiveness and transparency and accountability. He emphasized that the budget request is only a proposal from the Secretariat. The final approval depends on the MPs and budget committees.
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