Ratchadamnoen Avenue was commissioned by King
Chulalongkorn following his first visit to
Europe in 1897. Construction took place from 1899 to 1903. The road consists of three segments, named Ratchadamnoen Nai, Ratchadamnoen Klang, and Ratchadamnoen Nok (Inner, Middle, and Outer Ratchadamnoen, respectively). It links the
Grand Palace to
Dusit Palace in the new royal district, terminating at the
Royal Plaza in front of the
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall. Inspired by the
Champs-Élysées and other European boulevards, the King used the road as a route for grand royal parades (Ratchadamnoen literally means 'royal procession'), which served to project images of a modern monarchy. Between 1939 and 1941, Ratchadamnoen Klang, the middle segment, was redeveloped upon a
People's Party's initiative. The first task carried out in 1939 was the expropriation and demolition of existing properties within 40 metres along the boulevard, from
Phan Phiphop Lila Bridge to
Phan Fa Lilat Bridge. By redeveloping Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, the main objective of the People's Party was to leave its mark on the city and to distinguish itself from the monarchy by choosing the only segment of the road that does not have a palace at one of its extremities (i.e. the Grand Palace and the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall). such as the protests and ensuing military crackdowns in
2009 and
2010, the latter of which led to over 20 deaths along Ratchadamnoen Klang. In January 2020, it was announced that ten buildings flanking a 1.2 kilometre stretch of the avenue, owned by the
Crown Property Bureau, would be renovated or demolished. The bureau proposes rebuilding the structures in "
neoclassical-style", obliterating the
Art Deco theme originally inspired by the spirit of the
1932 revolution that overthrew absolute monarchy. ==Description==