Government House, or Ban Norasingh, in Bangkok, Thailand. — The Nation/ANN
BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN): Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s plan to live full time at Government House, also known as “Ban Norasingh”, instead of at the official prime minister’s residence, is a break with tradition and could bring bad luck to the country, a ruling coalition politician has warned.
Speaking on Facebook Live on Friday (Nov 10), Samart Jenchaijitwanich, a spokesman of the Palang Pracharath Party and a former aide to the justice minister, said that none of the past prime ministers had ever stayed full time at Ban Norasingh in Bangkok’s Dusit district.
They either lived in their own house or at Phitsanulok Mansion, also known as Thailand’s White House, the official residence of the prime minister, also located in Dusit district, he said.
Srettha, the country’s 30th PM, plans to convert Phakdibodin Building in the Government House compound into a private room where he can spend the night. The move aims to eliminate the need for him to commute from his house to work every day, to prevent adding to the city’s traffic woes, Srettha has said.
Samart pointed out that Ban Norasingh used to be a residence of Chao Phraya Ram Rakop (former name Feu Pheungboon), a court official during the reign of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), who bestowed him with the land and also a draft plan to build the primary building.
After the Siamese revolution in 1932, Chao Phraya Ram Rakop sold the compound to the government of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram for 1 million baht, and it has served as Thailand’s Government House until present.
“I have heard many strange stories around Ban Norasingh,” said Samart. “One story said Field Marshal Plaek worked late here one night and fell asleep. He later woke up and saw what appeared to be a ghost in Thai costume.”
Samart went on to say that since the PM’s plan to live full time at Ban Norasingh was announced, several “strange phenomenons” have happened in Thailand.
Among them are torrential rains in several parts of Thailand despite the arrival of the cold season, the collapse of a lane in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Road, and a classroom collapse at a school in Chonburi province, he said.
“Worse things could happen once Mr Srettha starts living at Government House full time,” Samart warned. “I’m speculating that it might even cut short his term as the premier.”
