Bangkok, 23 September 2021 – The United States (US) embassy has begun construction of a new annex on its existing Embassy Bangkok compound, which will support the continued expansion of US-Thai diplomatic, security, and commercial relations and strengthen our ties with the Thai people.
Expected to be completed in 2025, the new building will modernise the US Embassy’s platform for providing Consular services and conducting diplomacy and represents the importance of our longstanding alliance with the Kingdom of Thailand. The new annex will house US agencies currently located in different facilities across Bangkok, centralise the oraganisation’s existing operations.
Chargé d’Affaires Michael Heath commented, “This state-of-the-art annex to our Embassy will house the many US Government agencies that partner with Thailand and ASEAN to advance regional priorities, including improving public health, addressing environmental challenges, and combatting transnational crime. Designed to reflect traditional Thai architectural motifs, I hope the new building will become a landmark and a center of Thai-American friendship for many years to come.”
Annex construction will also significantly benefit the local economy. The United States will spend US$625 million dollars on this project and employ approximately 2,000 local workers throughout the construction period.
Inspired by Thailand’s architectural heritage and sensitive to the Southeast Asian climate, the contemporary design blends Thai traditions with the best in American architecture, design, engineering, technology, and construction. The project targets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification and incorporates many features designed to make the building more sustainable. Although an official groundbreaking ceremony has been postponed due to the pandemic, a Brahmin blessing ritual was held in July 2021, and we look forward to celebrating the start of construction with our Thai partners in the coming months.
– Construction+ Online
