"Rattanakosin Island" wins 2011 Asian Townscape Awards

BANGKOK, March 7 (TNA) - The old Rattanakosin Island in the heart of Bangkok has won Japan's 2011 Asian Townscape Awards, together with South Korea's Jeju Island and Pohang City, as well as Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture. Criteria for winning the awards include the promotion of life safety, the importance to arts and cultures, the correlation between towns' landscapes and local people's way of life, towns' creative projects and a pilot scheme for other cities in the future. The awards are organised by Japan's Fukuoka Office, in conjunction with other relevant Japanese agencies, under the theme "Living Environment and Urban Revival", awarding towns/cities or pilot projects which lift the quality of life of people along with environmental developments. The old Rattanakosin Island in the Thai capital presented itself with the project of the "Living Bangkok Heritage", a development project with tangible conservation outcomes on four selected areas, including Plabpla Maha Jetsadabodin Ground, Santichaiprakarn Park, Nakarapirom Park and Sanam Luang Ceremonial Ground. Bangkok Deputy Governor Wallop Suwandee has received the awards at Japan's United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), Fukuoka Office. (TNA)