CU academic questions purpose of expensive, useless ‘glass pavilions’ in Parliament

A CU academic slams Parliament’s glass pavilions as unusable and wasteful, as officials seek 113M baht more for renovations despite extreme heat issues.

A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science has questioned the purpose behind the construction of two “glass pavilions” within the Parliament compound, criticising them as impractical and unusable due to Thailand’s intense heat.

Dr Puangthong Pawakapan said the structures, designed with glass roofs, were not suitable for use under the country’s extreme sunlight. She added that the Parliament is now requesting an additional 113 million baht for the renovation of the two pavilions.

'Like Grilled Chicken with Crispy Skin'

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dr Puangthong remarked that the pavilions have remained unused since the opening of the new Parliament building, as the heat beneath the glass roofs is unbearable.“Don’t walk into the glass pavilions after 8 am. You’ll feel like grilled chicken with crispy skin,” she wrote.

She shared a photo showing one of the structures with a fully transparent glass roof. The pavilions are partially constructed with wood, giving them an unfinished appearance. The glass only covers the central part of the roof, while the wooden structure remains exposed at both ends.



'I Imagined They’d Be Beautiful'

“When I heard the name ‘glass pavilion’, I imagined they would be exquisitely beautiful. But when everyone saw them, they exclaimed, ‘OMG’,” she added.Dr Puangthong said the photos were taken in September 2024, and that Parliament officials had insisted the construction was already complete.

MP Vows to Cut Renovation Budget

By midday Sunday, the post had received over 1,200 reactions and 32 comments. One commenter remarked that the pavilions seemed to be built purely for show, not practical use.

The post was shared by People’s Party MP Rukchanok Srinork, who pledged to oppose the proposed renovation funding when deliberating the fiscal 2026 budget bill.

(2025/05/04-00:00)