Interview with Linda Cheng: Managing Director of River City Bangkok

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Could you please introduce yourself, your background, your mission at River City and the River City itself as the leading hub for contemporary art and antiques in Thailand?

Linda Cheng: Thank you, Eric. First of all, I feel really honored and humbled at the same time to be your first guest on your YouTube channel. And my name is Linda Chang. I'm the managing director of River City Bangkok. I'm originally from Taiwan, but I spent many years studying in the U.S. And then, but I have moved to Thailand, uh, for 35 years now. Put Thai well, it's a lovely place, you know. It's very difficult to leave this place after you've arrived. So, River City Bangkok has been sitting on the top of the top riverbank for 40 years. Last December at the end of 2024, we celebrated our 40th anniversary. Thanks to our, you know the founding father.

Rock/Around/Bangkok: As you know Rock Around Bangkok aims to promote and connect individuals and businesses with Bangkok's cultural heritage. We offer off-the-beaten-tracks immersive experiences, like private guided tours, team bonding activities, also museum-based games. What is your vision of or definition of cultural heritage in general? And how does Reverse City connect visitors to Bangkok's cultural heritage? 

Linda Cheng: You know when you mention cultural heritage the fact that we're sitting on this heritage ground because we're on the rivers um on the riverbank where, in the old days, how the foreigners or you know the shipments were coming through Java. We're right next to General Road which is the first road of Bangkok. You know along this river there were like embassies or first banks that were established in Bangkok. So, we are sitting on a heritage place location and to have this place turned into an art and cultural center like but even you know this it was all floors of antiques you know since the 1980s mid-1980s. It was the place to to visit for many many visitors that come to bangkok and we just had to continue to make sure that you know river city has sustainable business because it is a private center you know we have to rely on ourselves to be able to survive through the ups and downs you know, all that's happening around the world. And so I'm very proud to be sitting here as a fifth managing director. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: And do you think the location was really chosen because it was connected to European heritage in terms of architecture, for example, or it's just like a pure hazard?

Linda Cheng: I'm not quite sure, but I do know that the family, the founding family, they do have properties around this area. They also, you know, the big shareholder of Metro Oriental Hotel Bangkok. And River City Bangkok, in fact, is a joint venture between the Jayaranji family and Metro Oriental Hotel Group for 40 years. Okay. Yes. So that's why I think they want to be close to each other. And this is a beautiful location. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: What do you aspire River City to be?

Linda Cheng: Well, we just launched a new brand statement for River City Bangkok. We celebrated 40 years anniversary and it is River City Bangkok is where art lives, breathes, and inspires. And, you know, I think that statement pretty much sums up what we do because we think art and music should be in your everyday lives for you as a Frenchman, I think it's so, it is, it's like you know, you have to breathe, art and music in our everyday life, so that makes us happy, and I want River City to continue being that way as an important player. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: I've been living in Bangkok for 14 years, and it's amazing how this city, I mean, the cultural landscape is constantly evolving. There was a before and an after the establishment of River City. Could you please tell us how River City has significantly contributed to the local cultural scene? 

Linda Cheng: I think, you know, knowing Bangkok, you probably know the traffic is sometimes quite challenging. River City having all four floors of the antique shops and art galleries in one place makes it easier for visitors who want to look at art to come to one place; it's a one-stop service, and they can see many varieties of art. And now we have included contemporary art as one of our main strengths in River City. At the same time, it's attracting the younger generation. Even though we've been here 40 years, it started with all the antiques on all floors. You know, but we had to also adapt with time and the changes of taste, you know, of people and what they like, so it first it was focused on antiques, yes, every floor I was told every floor was antiques, you know. Obviously, I wasn't here at that time, and people would come from all around the world to come and treasure hunt for Asian antiques or Southeast Asian antiques. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: So, you are the one who diversified the activity at River City? 

Linda Cheng: Yes, I was the one that really pushed for the contemporary art to come in and to promote these emerging Thai young artists. Because when I came in eight years ago, there were so many empty spaces. In the complex? Yes. The second floor was practically empty. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Mango Art Festival is about your ideas as well? 

Linda Cheng: No, no, no. Mango Art Festival has their own founders and they were doing it in other locations before. But they came to us. They came to us and they wanted to go there. So you host this event? Yes. We were at the venue. They rent our space. But before that, way before Mango Art Fair, you know, I started here. My first day was December 1st, 2016, to hand over one month. And in 2017, I had to start working really fast because it was really vacant, so empty. And I had to bring in energy. I had to bring in people. And that was the challenging part. Really, really difficult at the time. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: I remember you once said, you once shared with me that you were recruited to help improve the orders vision of River City by, actually this is what you just mentioned, by implementing major change to this activity and organization.And I know it was a significant leap for you because you were coming from another industry, another field.  So, could you please share your experience and explain how you helped transform this major Bangkok institution? 

Linda Cheng: I feel very grateful that my boss, he is the son of Kadisan , and he was the one who asked a headhunter to look for somebody who is from a completely different field, who has strong marketing skills and international perspective, and he wants somebody from the cultural organization. And at the time, I was a deputy, I was the associate dean for marketing and communications at the College of Music in Mangalore University. I was just helping the university to promote their music education, appreciation, and all that. And that work was also by chance. I was there for three and a half years, and our concert goers increased by more than three times. So we were getting a lot of attention. And I was very happy to get this call. I mean, at first, very strange to get a call for a River City interview. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Did you know River City at this time or not much? 

Linda Cheng: Not much at all. I mean, I had only one time. I had been here for the dinner cruise only one time for my cousin's wedding. Otherwise, I would never have come across this place. And that was it. And so before I accepted to come to the interview, I came to have a look. And I was like, wow, it's so empty. I mean, they've renovated the whole building. It looks beautiful, but then it's like the hardware is there. There's no software. But then I felt it was a calling for me. Maybe a calling for me to come do something. And so something meaningful, you know, for a good purpose. So I took the challenge and said, I give myself three years. If I can transform the place, the boss said, I want you to transform it into a cultural, you know, destination. And you had a white card. You could mostly do whatever you want. As long as it's a part of the strategy. Yes, yes. He gave me a lot of freedom to do what I wanted. But at the same time, it was a joint venture between the Oriental Hotel Group and my boss' family. So for them, the changes I wanted were sometimes maybe too drastic. You know, doing exhibitions. They've never done it before. Collect rents and that's fine but actually it's very difficult, I cannot collect rents when there's nobody coming into the center, so gradually they accepted what I wanted to do, and so we changed and floor by floor, new tenants come in, exhibitions were doing well, and then you know, so everything was coming together, but then I think the most challenging part was the people-I had to change the mindset of our people; we had to change fast. But I'm just very happy because I get to do what I'm passionate about, music and arts, and being paid for it. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Do you have some contribution with other organizations in Bangkok? Like I'm thinking about, you mentioned Bangkok Art and Cultural Center. I'm thinking also by maybe the French Embassy, Alliance Francaise or Ghost Institute. Do you have some collaboration? 

Linda Cheng: Yes, many collaborations. Actually, that was the first thing. Thank you for bringing that up. The first thing I did was this film club, RCB, River City Bangkok Film Club. And we engaged with the curator, Lekha, and we did films. Because there were so many empty rooms. So, we just pick any room and we did the film screening with the embassies and the ambassador would be very kind to come and introduce the film, and they will host the reception, so you know the food and drinks of the country. So, we were promoting cultural exchange at the same time, and that became quite successful because then the rooms were gradually rented out one by one when we chose a room and people came to see it, and then we were rented out. I said, 'Oh, that's good luck for us so we did that for so many years and we've worked with so many different countries and shown their films, so at the same time you know providing cultural and educational experiences while bringing people in to energize the center, so I really enjoy that. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: I already have a last question, um, what would you say to those watching this interview, whether they are subscribers of Rock Around Bangkok newsletter or followers on the YouTube channel, to encourage them to stop by at River City and say hello to me.  I know you enjoy spending time at the venue and engaging with visitors. So, what would I tell them? Well, you know. You are welcome. Well, it's a must-see. You are super welcome. You are super welcome. 

Linda Cheng: Yes, everybody is super welcome. But I think River City Bangkok is a must-see if you do like art and culture, right? In any country, if you like to go to museums or galleries, this is a must-see. And you will discover many, many young Thai artists. In any country, all these artists need support. They need visibility. And so by coming here, you will learn about how the Thai artists perform. I think they're all very talented, but they just lack more visibility. And now, it's the fifth year now, we have launched the Italian-Thai Portrait Prize. So anybody that lives in Bangkok, not just Thais, anybody that lives in Bangkok can submit live portrait painting. And we have competition every year with the outside judges. The first place is 500,000 baht. 200,000 baht, 100,000 baht to encourage. And every year we have a lot of submissions. Hundreds of submissions. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Yeah, I attended a few of them already. 

Linda Cheng: Oh, you have? Yes. Besides that, I mean, River City is where you come to dine by the river, the dining experience, the cruises, and also we have a lot of offerings in terms of art, all forms of art. We also do films on the helipad and also, you know, plays and performing arts. These are very important for us. Music concerts, free concerts. Actually, I had a last question because we just went there before starting the interview. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Can you talk about a little bit about the open air cinema because it's amazing and I'm not sure so many people know about that ? 

Linda Cheng: So the helipad, yeah, that Skyline Film, yes, it's a collaboration with a company in Taiwan that we would do Skyline Film. It's an open-air cinema, you listen to the soundtrack with Bluetooth headphones and you sit on like a beach chair, and it's just very, very chill and nighttime in Bangkok, and you look at sometimes you get fireworks, free fireworks that pops up but doesn't affect your movie watching. This is a very different experience. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: I didn't try yet, but we just went to the helipad and I can tell it's amazing view, really amazing view, and my condo is not very far so on the 35th floor I have amazing view of River City, of the Icon Siam. I guess on the helipad of River City at night it should be unbelievable. 

Linda Cheng: For sure. You have to come and experience it. I hope you will include some clip or photo of the view, the panorama view around here. And this is within walking distance of so many places, you know, like Dananoy, the creative district, Chinatown. You can actually walk along this terrible road. Very cool. Very interesting to discover. 

Rock/Around/Bangkok: Thank you, Linda, for this precious moment and keep going with the good work.