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Thai Pavilion @ 25 Oral History Project

About the Project

The Thai Pavilion @ 25 oral history project was created to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Gardens, and includes the reflections of individuals who helped bring the construction to fruition. Narrators in these interviews describe their roles, from finding a site for the structure, designing the landscape, coordinating stays for the Thai artisans, or volunteering to provide Thai translation and cultural knowledge to the public.

What is a Thai Pavilion?

Pavilions (also known as salas) are common structures in Thailand, and the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Gardens is an example of one that would be used within a royal setting. The pavilion is currently only one of four royal pavilions built outside of Thailand and only one of two built in the United States.

Where did the Thai Pavilion come from?

The pavilion was gifted to the University of Wisconsin-Madison by the Thai government and the Wisconsin Alumni Association of Thailand as a symbol of friendship and connectiveness. UW-Madison has one of the largest Thai student populations in the country. The pavilion was first put together in Thailand, before being disassembled into crates that were shipped to Wisconsin. Nine Thai artisans traveled to Madison and stayed for three weeks, reconstructing the pavilion at the Olbrich Gardens site.

Why was Olbrich Gardens chosen as the site for construction?

Olbrich Gardens was chosen as the site for the pavilion due to its large amount of space, garden setting, and the site’s proximity to water.

How is the pavilion connected to 9-11?

A significant event that is discussed throughout these interviews is 9-11, which took place as the Thai artisans were flying from Thailand to Wisconsin on that day. The tragedy was commemorated by remarks at the opening ceremony and through the creation of ceramic tiles to be placed on the pavilion roof where people could write prayers and messages on the underside of the tiles.

Interviews

The following list includes processed interviews. Click on the link to access an interview’s audio, summary, and transcript.

The Oral History Program would like to thank all those who told their stories for this project. We would also like to thank interviewer Caila Drew-Morin, as well as President Emeritus of the WAA-Thailand Chapter Pongsak Payakvichien.

This webpage was created by Oona McNally.