Historic former Dutch ambassador’s residence demolished in Bangkok
The house was more than 100 years old, and members of Thailand’s Dutch community had tried to prevent its demolition.
A Bangkok house formerly used by the Netherlands ambassador to Thailand has been demolished despite attempts to preserve it by the local Dutch community. Nederlandse Vereniging Thailand, the Dutch association in Thailand, shared photographs and video showing the demolition and debris on Facebook on October 3.
The association said its preservation efforts had failed and expressed distress at the loss. The colonial-style building was more than 100 years old, with two main storeys, a tower rising to three storeys, tiered roofs and decorative wood carvings.
The Dutch government bought the property in 1948 after the Second World War. It subsequently housed the ambassador and formed part of the Netherlands embassy in Thailand. The wider site occupies about 20 rai on Bangkok’s Wireless Road and was later offered for sale.
Its original resident was Dr Alphonse Poix, a French physician who served King Chulalongkorn. Prince Boworadet inherited the property after Poix left in 1913. The prince went abroad following political events in 1933, but the family retained the house.
Before its Dutch diplomatic role, the property accommodated Catholic priests and an association for people who had studied in Britain. British soldiers also stayed there towards the end of the Second World War.
