Hotel and property development company Dusit International recently announced their plan to build the first ever hotel in the middle of Bangkok's popular Chatuchak Market in an agreement with Dhanasansombut Development Co.

Dubbed "Mixt Chatuchak," the project is located a short walk from BTS Mo Chit and MRT Suan Chatuchak and is set to be a mixed-use development combining a 250-room hotel with a luxury shopping mall. Although an estimated completion date has not been announced, those who have visited the market in the past few months may have already seen the construction process well underway: 

The project aims to capitalize on the 400,000 shoppers that visit Chatuchak Market every weekend, making it one of Bangkok's top tourist destinations.

This will be Dusit International's second mixed-use project, following its announcement back in March to transform the current Dusit Thani hotel into a mixed-use space including a renovated hotel, serviced apartments, office space, retail space and dedicated green space.The news was received with huge backlash on social media as people disapproved the decision to destroy the hotel that has become an iconic modernist building in Bangkok's architectural landscape.

In fact, there seems to be a rising trend to replace many of the city's favorite landmarks into mixed-use projects. Back at the start of April, Chang beer's billionare tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi announced his B120 billion project to transform the area that once housed Suan Lum Night Bazaar into a huge mixed-use space called "One Bangkok," causing many people to reminisce over the days of what was once the city's most popular night market. 

Other upcoming mixed-use projects like TCC Group's Sam Yan Mitr Town (B8.5 billion) and Port Authority of Thailand's 223-rai project in Klong Toei (B100 billion) will also result in the eviction of shop-houses and residential communities that have made up the respective areas for decades, along with the culture and history that come with them.

Whether or not the new Mixt Chatuchak will compromise the much-loved shopping experience at Chatuchak Market as we know it, it's needless to say that Bangkok's cityscape is rapidly changing at the cost of its many widely loved landmarks. And we're not too thrilled about it.