Whether thanks to the power of a goddess or student activism, a historic Chinese-Thai shrine located downtown survived another date with the wrecking ball today.
Penprapa “Nok” Sowsum, caretaker of the century-old Tubtim goddess shrine, told Coconuts today that Chulalongkorn University had not moved in to evict the shrine as it announced late last month would happen by Sept. 1.
The university, which wants the shrine gone to build luxury condos, had said it would send crews yesterday morning to forcefully move the goddess statue to a temporary site in Soi Chula 34. Penprapra said they never showed up.
Last week, metal construction barriers were erected around the shrine alongside banners announcing that the goddess would be at the new location starting today. Worshipers, cops and media converged on the shrine in the morning to witness the move, with student activists holding a vigil into the evening to insure the eviction didn’t happen, she said.
This morning, the banners were gone, she added, though she did not know who removed them.
Related:
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Chulalongkorn set to bulldoze historic Chinese-Thai shrine, build condos
