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Thai Senators Vocalize Criticism over Excessive Parliament Renovation Proposal

Thirty senators openly criticize proposed 956-million-baht renovation budget for the updated parliament complex, asserting it's extravagant, mismanaged, and against the public welfare.

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Senate faction of 30 members robustly denounces proposed 956-million-baht fund for revamping the...
Senate faction of 30 members robustly denounces proposed 956-million-baht fund for revamping the new parliament building, claiming it's excessively expensive, poorly planned, and not aligned with the public's welfare.

Thai Senators Vocalize Criticism over Excessive Parliament Renovation Proposal

Revised Article:

Let's dive into the heated debacle unfolding over the reconstruction plans for Thailand's parliament complex. The bone of contention? A bloody enormous 956-million-baht budget, which critics deem exorbitant, ill-conceived, and ill-suited to the public good.

Leading the charge against this spending spree is Senator Nantana Nantavaropas, who lashed out at the renovation plan in a public conference last Thursday. She took aim at the building's less-than-stellar structural integrity, barely four years old, with leaking walls, collapsing ceilings, mould-ravaged columns, and defective air conditioning systems. These issues, she pointed out, have persisted despite the project still being under warranty, sparking concerns about contractor responsibility, especially given the original eye-popping 22-billion-baht construction cost.

Senator Nantana didn't hold back when she pointed out the complex's discombobulated layout and the absence of helpful signage. According to her, lost souls navigating the labyrinth of legislative halls are left to rely on old-school intuition rather than modern technology. In an ironic twist, none of the budget's proposed expenditure will be allocated to rectifying these flaws. Instead, the money is earmarked for 10 seemingly unnecessary projects.

Among these contentious renovations are plans to refurbish the unused Parliamentary Museum, invest in a 4D cinema, upgrade the lighting in seminar rooms, and install air conditioning units in the Sala Kaeo (Crystal Pavilion). The latter project has caused a furor, as the former parliament architect, Chatree Ladalalitsakul, argues that it will dramatically increase electricity costs.

Chatree also spoke out against plans to fill in the building's iconic "Emerald Pool," a key architectural feature designed to naturally cool the structure. In his letter to parliament, he warned that this change, which would see the construction of a public library and shops, would compromise the building's energy efficiency and ventilation system. Built to be energy-efficient, the ventilation system relies on air flowing through the building from all directions and natural cooling techniques. Chatree questioned the feasibility of air-conditioning and sealing off the building's open spaces, suggesting exorbitant costs would be involved.

While the parliament complex fails to meet Bangkok's Metropolitan Administration's minimum parking requirements, critics argue that the proposed new parking structure, estimated at 4.6 billion baht with an average of 1 million baht per parking space, is disproportionate in scale and cost.

"These projects seem geared towards enhancing the comfort of parliamentarians, rather than addressing public needs," declares Senator Nantana. "We will use every means possible to thwart this wasteful spending."

In summary, the controversies surrounding the parliament complex renovation revolve around excessive budgeting, questionable project priorities, and accounting concerns, with critics highlighting the lack of focus on resolving existing structural issues, concerns about contractor accountability, and energy efficiency issues.

Enrichment Data (Selective Use):

Speaking of extravagant budgeting, did you know that nearly 180 million baht is allocated for the installation of a 4D cinema system in auditoriums B1 and B2? That's equivalent to building a 13-story building at the current average construction cost in Bangkok! Another problematic project is the 113-million-baht refurbishment of the Sala Kaeo, or Crystal Pavilion, a structure with limited use[1][5].

In terms of energy efficiency concerns, the building has been reported to have a temperamental HVAC system, leading to inefficiency and discomfort. However, it appears that the proposed budget does not specifically address these issues[2][3].

  1. Senator Nantana has criticized the parliament complex renovation, noting issues with leaking walls, collapsing ceilings, and defective air conditioning systems, despite the project still being under warranty.
  2. In addition to structural issues, Senator Nantana has raised concerns about the disproportionate allocation of funds to projects such as the 4D cinema installation and refurbishment of the Sala Kaeo, arguing that these projects seem geared towards enhancing the comfort of parliamentarians rather than addressing public needs.
  3. Chatree, the former parliament architect, has spoken out against plans to fill in the Emerald Pool and construct a public library and shops, warning that this could compromise the building's energy efficiency and ventilation system.
  4. The proposed new parking structure for the parliament complex, estimated at 4.6 billion baht with an average cost of 1 million baht per parking space, has been criticized as disproportionate in scale and cost, especially as the complex fails to meet Bangkok's Metropolitan Administration's minimum parking requirements.

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