Government House of Thailand

Government House
Government House of Thailand in 2009
General information
Architectural style	Venetian Gothic
Town or city	Dusit District, Bangkok
Country	Thailand
Construction started	1925
Technical details
Size	45,000 m2
Design and construction
Architect	Corrado Feroci

The Government House (Thai: ทำเนียบรัฐบาล; rtgs: Thamniap Ratthaban) is the offices of the Prime Minister of Thailand and the appointed cabinet ministers. It also contains conference rooms and is used for state functions and receptions of foreign guests. It consists of several palace-like structures extending over 11 acres (45,000 m²). King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) commissioned the Italian architect Annibale Rigotti to design the main building in 1923, although construction would remain incomplete as Rigotti returned to Italy after the king's death in 1925. Initially intended as a family residence for one of the king's favorite generals, the building became the Prime Minister's seat in 1941. Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram then assigned Italian sculptor and artist Corrado Feroci to complete the construction (also working on the building at this point was the architect Ercole Manfredi). The main building carries a golden dome housing a statue of Phra Phrom (Brahma) and its façade resembles that of the Ca' d'Oro Palazzo in Venice.

During the 2008 Thai political crisis, anti-government protesters besieged the Government House. After a court order, they had to move, but then attempted to block the government house once more and succeeded - the cabinet temporarily moved to Don Mueang International Airport.

The protesters besieged Don Mueang International Airport soon after that, giving the cabinet nowhere to work. On 1 December 2008, after protesting for 3 months, the protesters decided to leave the government house as there were constant attacks of bombs, grenades and gunfire.

Thai-Khu-Fah Building

Thai-Khu-Fah Building (ตึกไทยคู่ฟ้า) is an important building in Thai government house. This building is a symbol of the Thai council of minister and government as an office of the Prime Minister and a conference hall for cabinet ministers similar to that of the White House of the United States of America or No. 10 Downing Street as a government house of United Kingdom. This building has only two floors with a Neo-Venetian Gothic architecture combined with Byzantine arts and contains only one staircase. On the roof there is a small shire for Lord Brahma. Downstairs are three lounges, first of which is the Golden Dome Room the south of the building for the visitors of the Prime Minister. The second of which is the Ivory Room which is in front of the Golden Dome Room and adjacent to the right, which is a lounge for official visitors of the Prime Minister, and the third of which is the purple room, which is on the ground floor to the right-hand side of the building. This is a lounge for the visitors of the Deputy Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers. Furthermore, this building has a small conference room for the Board of Committees' conference which has the Prime Minister as the chairperson. The upper floor of the building is the Prime Minister's office, the political officers' office and the old cabinet conference room.

Gallery

• 

  Venue of APEC 2003

• 

  Former Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva (right) with guests in the Ivory Room

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  Anti-government protesters during the 2008 Thai political crisis, August 2008

External links

• Government House Bangkok - the House of Gold