Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha wants to remodel Rattanakosin Island on the village of Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire. The island in the Thai capital has been used by prostitutes for many years but now authorities are hoping that a gentrification of the area with CCTV will monitor the offenders. The Bangkok Post has reported that canals have been dredged and floating water cleaners have been installed and have reported the plans to plant flowers to make the waterways more attractive.
The leader of Thailand has said it is his “dream” to see the area become “an important tourist attraction reminiscent of England’s Cotswolds”.
Bourton-On-The-Water, which is known as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’, is renowned for its traditional stone house and location amid rolling hills.
A council worker in Bangkok Phaitoon Khamparat said the plan is to “re-adjust this area and landscape so it is not suitable for prostitution”.
Old buildings are set to be painted yellow to replicate the homes of the Cotswolds village.
The Thai government wants to introduce more ‘non-prostitution’ activities in a bid to encourage more visitors to come.
Cotswold District Councillor Nick Maunder said: “I’m glad the visitors that come here get so much pleasure from it.
“I think people like the ambiance of the whole place, from the style of the architecture to the river running through it.
“I’m sure if he wants to know more about it we would be happy to host a royal visit.
”It’s a very pretty village situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty.”
A spokesman for Cotswolds Tourism said : “We are very flattered that other countries appreciate the beauty of our area to the extent that they want to replicate the charm of the Cotswolds in their own places.”
The Cotswolds village has a population of around 3,000 people, which compares to more than eight million living in Bangkok.