Gallery Tours

Walking Tour: The Taste of Cold War : On Ratchadamnoen Avenue

By Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Jim Thompson Art Center

Ratchadamnoen Avenue is an important transportation route that was initiated during the reign of King Rama V and modeled after the Champs-Élysées in France. Changes over time have caused this road to assume many roles and statuses, ranging from a route connecting the royal palaces of the nobility to a center of modernity for the people, and ultimately becoming a site of clashes between differing ideologies. During the Cold War, this road was marked by cultural intersections, including traces of royal grandeur, government military policies, Western technological advancements, and the everyday lives of marginalized individuals seeking livelihoods.

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Jim Thompson Art Center, in collaboration with Assoc. Prof. Yukti Mukdawijitra Ph.D. of the Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University and Gridthiya Gaweewong, D.F.A., Curator of The Shattered World Exhibition and Director of the Jim Thompson Art Center, The James H.W. Thompson Foundation invite the public to participate in the event “The Taste of Cold War,” part of the public program for the exhibition The Shattered World: Micro Narratives from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the Great Steppe.

Join us for a walk exploring Ratchadamnoen Avenue—a historical route contextualized by the Cold War—through architectural remnants, historical narratives, and archival photographs, while also navigating alleyways and sampling authentic local cuisine. Experience the street’s vibrant cultural diversity through the lens of marginalized communities. On Sunday, 15th June, 2025, from 12:00 – 18:00 hrs.
At Ratchadamnoen Road and its surrounding areas.

Registration via Google Forms: https://forms.gle/1hF6pKtLjViCz7PG6
– This activity will conduct in Thai without translation
– Participation fee includes transportation, meals, and refreshments: 999 THB.

For more information, please contact:
Education Department, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Tel: +66 (0) 2 214 6630-8 ext. 519
Email: [email protected]