Asset World Corporation (AWC) will add a cross-river cable car and a new Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) to Bangkok’s Asiatique The Riverfront Destination as part of a major redevelopment aimed at strengthening the city’s tourism and cultural offering.
The development will include what AWC describes as the world’s first sustainable themed cross-river cable car, linking Asiatique with the company’s mixed-use development on Charoen Nakhon Road, alongside MONA Bangkok, developed in partnership with Australia’s Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart.
AWC said the cable car represents an investment of more than two billion baht (US$61 million). Designed without support pylons in the Chao Phraya River, it will use energy-efficient technology to connect the two developments while incorporating art, lighting, sound and architectural elements into the passenger experience.
The cable car will connect directly to MONA Bangkok, which will be developed specifically for Bangkok rather than replicate the museum in Hobart. Conceived as a platform for cultural exchange, the museum will showcase works by Thai and international artists while contributing to Bangkok’s contemporary art landscape.
MONA, Australia’s largest private museum, opened in Hobart in 2011. Founded by David Walsh, it houses a collection of ancient, modern and contemporary art and is known for its technology-driven visitor experience and cultural programming.
Together, the cable car and MONA Bangkok are intended to establish Asiatique as a tourism, lifestyle and cultural destination while strengthening Bangkok’s position as a centre for contemporary art and cultural tourism.
Wallapa Traisorat, CEO and president, Asset World Corp Public Company, said: “This landmark collaboration with MONA Australia will help create a new iconic destination for Bangkok while contributing to Thailand’s position as a global hub for sustainable tourism, arts, culture, and creative learning.”
David Walsh, founder, MONA, added: “Having spent most of the last 25 years studying how museums work, AWC has presented us with a remarkable opportunity to take what we’ve learned to one of the great tourist centres of the world.”
