Ratchadamnoen Avenue: Image, Identity and Symbol
Keywords:
Ratchadamnoen Avenue, image, identity, symbolAbstract
It is widely known that the Ratchadamnoen Avenue was originated by King Rama V some 120 years ago. Consisting of three parts – the Outer, the Middle, and the Inner; each part of the avenue presently shows its different image, i.e. while the Outer and Inner parts have maintained their original characters, the Middle part was purposely facelifted during the Second World War. Consequently, three different identities have become evident, namely, the Outer part represents the grandeur western promenade of the Neo-Classic City, while the Middle part imitates the renowned French Boulevard, Champs-Élysées, in Paris, with the Democracy Monument in place of Arc de Triomphe. Today, remarkable events throughout history of the kingdom on the Ratchadamnoen Avenue have brought about the symbol for each part: the Outer part symbolizes ‘majestic supremacy’, the Middle part symbolizes ‘democratic freedom’, and the Inner part symbolizes ‘traditional royal ceremonies’.
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