Plagiarism accusation sinks design for new Bangkok Museum

“We will abandon this design as the public is unhappy,” Asst Prof Antika Sawadsri said at a press conference yesterday in her capacity as spokeswoman for the Chao Phraya for All project. 

“It is possible that the design is similar to the one [in existence] because both of them were computer-aided, but we guarantee we did not copy anybody’s work. In addition, this design is just an idea sent to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration [BMA] for consideration. If the society worries about this model, the design will not be built,” said Antika.

The decision was announced after the design team asserted that the design was not plagiarised. A team from King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang created the design and presented it to the project management team.

The Viman Phra In design has whipped up a storm of criticism in social media after critics pointed to its almost identical resemblance to Norman Foster’s Crystal Island project in Russia. 

Foster + Partners released the Crystal Island design almost 10 years ago. Striking similarities between the two designs have pointed accusing fingers at the designer of Viman Phra In. 

“Both are so similar that it [Viman Phra In] looks like a copy,” said one social media comment. 

The Bangkok Museum is one of the proposed river landmarks that are part of 12 development plans for the Chao Phraya for All project.

“If the BMA approves the plan for river landmarks, we will restart the design process,” Antika said. 

The Chao Phraya for All project is itself a controversy. Since the project was proposed last year, it has drawn opposition and criticism from various sides worried about its possible adverse effect on the environment. 

Defending the plan at yesterday’s press conference, project |manager Assoc Prof Sakul Hovanotayan said some misleading information had been given to the public over the past seven months. 

He said there were claims that the project would involve building a 19.5-metre-wide road for cars. “These allegations are not true. We will just create a bicycle lane and pedestrian path,” he said. 

He also denied claims that the project would block the river view. “In fact, our planned promenade is lower than the existing flood-prevention embankment,” he said. 

Sakul said the claims that the project did not include public participation were also groundless. “We have worked on the project in consultation with 34 local communities, the owners of buildings along the river, and many experts,” he said.