HUA MAK CAMPUS

The original campus located at Hua Mak in the city, and the new campus at Suvarnabhumi, some thirty minutes from the South of the city campus and twenty minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport on the way to the Eastern Seaboard. The original campus is a compact, vertical campus comprised of 17 buildings with the tallest having a total of 16 floors. A small lake surrounded by lush gardens and seating is a focal point of beauty and tranquility. Food, convenience, and service shops to support student needs surround the campus. This will become the home of the postgraduate faculties.

Gate of Wisdom

This triumphal arch is akin to the university’s gate of wisdom. It symbolizes the gateway leading to Assumption University, a magnificent place full of treasure of knowledge and blazing light of guidance. Those who walk past this gate are the ones determining to be adorned with intelligence and abilities useful for their future career path, creating prosperity for themselves as well as the nation.
 
General features

The top front of the gate is decorated with bas-reliefs and sculptures designed to display the evolution of human beings, starting from the time when they were just a caveman, being uneducated to the era of civilization. During the change, education, which was first introduced by priests, played an important role in enhancing quality of human life. As a result, some became scholars, some inventors, while others made the society prosper both at the national and international level.

At the base of the sculpture is the name of Assumption University in Thai. Messages are carved at the bottom of each gate’s column.

On the right side, the message says:

"The Saint Gabriel Foundation Thailand, which had been offering basic education in Thailand for a decade, began facilitating an autonomous higher education institution in 1969 under the name of ASSUMPTION SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (ASB). In 1972, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, it was officially established as ASSUMPTION BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION COLLEGE OR ABAC. It was accredited by the Ministry of University Affairs and the Civil Service Commission in 1975 and later by The U.S. Veterans Administration in 1980.

ABAC furthered its development and fulfilled the mission of the institution via effective teaching, research, academic services, and arts and cultural preservation. It was, then, granted new status as ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY on 22 May 1990."

The message on the left says:

"His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej is a monarch who has been respected for his grace and benevolence throughout the Kingdom and beyond. His admirable manner, wisdom, and sincerity are evident in all his activities while his adherence to 10 royal virtues and goodness reiterated his perfect leadership as a king.

In Remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej, ABAC students, faculty members and staff have organized a ceremony to celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty’s 60th birthday anniversary in December 1987."

The sculpture of Archangel Gabriel is situated at the top back of the gate, blessing everyone at the university. Messages are carved on both sides of the column:

                                                               'YOU ARE THE SALT                             YOU ARE THE LIGHT

                                                                 OF THE EARTH…                                  OF THE WORLD…’

                                                                                   MT V 13                                            MT V 14

                                                             “ท่านคือเกลือของแผ่นดิน                      ท่านคือแสงสว่างส่องโลก”

These two verses imply that all ABAC affiliates must always maintain their act of kindness and performance of good deeds, becoming the light in the dark, the wisdom among the ignorant, thus forging peace and unity in the society.

Beneath the sculpture is the name of ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY while messages are also carved at the base of both columns.

On the right, it says:

          “DURING THE ADMINISTRATION OF BROS. MARTIN, SIMEON, LEO, AND CYRIL, THIS ARCH WAS ERECTED TO COMMENMORATE THE 60TH BIRTHDAY IN 1987 OF HIS MAJESTY THE KING AND THE 1986 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PEACE.

           THE THAI INSCRIPTION “อัสสัมชัญ” ON THE ARCH SIGNIFIES AN ABODE FO ABIDING KNOWLEDGE”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 F. HILAIRE

On the right, it says:

          “IN COMMENORATION OF THE VISIT TO ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY BY HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE PRINCESS MAHA CHAKRI SIRINDHORN, ON NOVEMBER 7, 1990. 

          ON THIS DAY THE PRINCESS DECLEARED OPEN “CORONATION HALL MCMLXXXIX” IN HONOUR OF THE LONGEST REIGNING MONARCH IN THAI HISTORY, HIS MAJESTY KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ.”

The purposes of the construction are:

1. To reminisce the royal grace and legacies of His Majesty the King Bhumibhol Adulyadej on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty’s 5th cycle birthday celebration on 5 December 1987, becoming the longest reigning monarch in the history;
2. To commemorate the occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presiding over the opening ceremony of the CORONATION HALL MCMLXXXIX at Assumption University
on 7 November 1990;
3. To remind all ABAC affiliates of the importance of inquisitiveness, patience, and effort to learn which will guide them to their achievement in the future.

Construction
The gate was constructed in the year 1990.

De Montfort Hall (D Building)

As the number of students kept increasing, it soon become imperative to find more space. At the same time ABAC was trying to obtain full accreditation from Office of the National Education Commission (NEC), the Ministry of University Affairs and the Civil Service Commission.

One condition was to have decent library services. Hence the new project that would accommodate the Office of the President, the office of the Registrar, class-rooms and offices for lecturers. At right angle a two story building would harbor a library below ground level and an assemble hall on the top...It was completed in 1976. Full accreditation had been granted a year before...At that time, the Office of the President was on the second floor. It is now the office of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs. The Faculty Lounge was the Registrar's office. The fifth floor which now houses offices for faculty members soon became a library for magazines, reviews, etc. The opposite room saw the humble beginning of the computer department and computerization at ABAC.

St. Marie's Square

St. Marie’s Square is in front of St. Philip & Bernard Hall (P Building). 
General Characteristics
St. Marie’s Square is an area where a tall pillar monument stands.  At the top of monument is the sculpture figure of St. Marie standing on the earth’s globe.  The monument has a square base. Each side of the square base has the following inscriptions. 

The St. Mary's monument was consecrated by Father Miguel on September 7, 1983, and on the same day Brother Viriya Chantavarodom, Provincial Superior, presided over the opening ceremony of St. Marie’s Square. 

Purposes of Construction
(1) To commemorate grace and mercy of Our Lady who is merciful to humans and animals in the world.
(2) To commemorate the Holy Year of Redemption, in 1983, which is the year of remission of sins among Catholics.
(3) To commemorate King Ramkhamhaeng the Great, the King of Thailand in the Sukhothai period, who invented Thai alphabets in 1826, and, as well, to commemorate the year 1983 which was the year to celebrate the 700th anniversary of Thai alphabets, "Tai Sue".

Construction
Built in 1983

Tower of David

The Clock Tower, also known as “TOWER OF DAVID”, is a large clock tower located between the Assumption 1981 AD. Building and the St. Philip and Bernard at the end of the street.

Explore the Tower
It is a large square-shaped clock tower. There is a large water tank in the clock tower at the base of the underground. Moreover, a massively huge water tank is on the second and third floors. You can also discover a room on the first floor for collecting exclusive mementos from institutions and organizations donated to Assumption University.

Purposes of Construction
1. It is the clock tower to display the current time to teachers, students, staff and personnel from various departments of the university as well as outsiders.
2. It is used as a storage for special awards, recognitions and mementos from institutions and organizations given to the university and executives to honor and commemorate on various occasions.
3. It is to store water for use in times of shortage.

Construction Timeline
The clock tower was built in 1990.

St. Philip & Bernard Hall (P Building)

In 1972, the Assumption School of Business (ASB) that had been going on for three years was fully recognized as an institution of higher learning by the Ministry of Education, under the new name of Assumption Business Administration College (ABAC).

But the new college had to be independent and move away from the ACC Campus. The St. Gabriel Foundation, owners of ABAC, had already a 14-rai plot in the middle of pad-fields, with no trees, no plants and a dirt road to reach it, at the end of Soi Moo Ban Seri. The transfer of ownership was promptly made in order to put up a first five-storey building. Twenty-one meter long poles were supposed to support the whole structure, but when the first one disappeared in the ground after a few strokes, the engineer had to stop the piling. The soil was so soft that it required twenty-four meter long poles...Out of necessity, it was a multipurpose building with the finance department cum bookstore, the registrar's office and the office of the President occupying the ground floor in that order. The actual registrar's office was added much later... 

Ground floor: Office of Financial Management, ABAC Bookstore, Adminission Center

Assumption Hall (A Building)

Assumption Building was erected in 1982.

The original master-plan envisions 4 to 5 storey buildings scattered around the campus that would have made of ABAC a concrete jungle. As multi-storied buildings sprung around, the administration though it would be better to do the same, put up one or two buildings more and keep ample space for flowers, trees, and grass. The new headquarters of the Bangkok Bank had just been completed … At a lunch meeting between high ranking officers of the Bank and the top administrators of ABAC, the latter were advised not to exceed ten stories, as beyond, costs would multiply, not add … At that time the students toilets were behind the former shed and further away the servants’ quarters. All had to be pulled down to give way for the new Assumption Building that would be in remembrance of “Ratanakosin 200 years”. Innumerable alterations occurred during the construction. Rev. Br. Martin couldn’t help adding an eleventh floor on the original blue-print. The clock that strikes the hour and the carillon that sings the praises of the Blessed Virgin came straight from Northern Italy and the inventor came to have them fixed.

In March 1985. H.E. General Prem Tinasulanonda, Prime Minister, officially inaugurated the building and opened the new Graduate School of Business.

Simultaneously and to enhance the idea that ABAC prides itself as a catholic institution, a chapel was built up dedicated to our Lady of Annunciation and financed by funds from Germany. The chapel is a little jewel with beautiful stained glasses and original wall sculptures. The stained glasses on each side on the altar are from Italy. The others and the wall sculptures were conceived by Bev. Br. Martin and realized by Thai artists. The statues from Italy were to remind the worship of old cherished traditions.

St. Gabriel Building (St. Gabriel's Library)

To be sure, man does not live on 'bread' alone, but he cannot live without it either. From the very beginning a shed had been erected where a few merchants prepared food on order. Soon some established their quarters there. It was located partly where Building A and the chapel now stand.  Then further away and perpendicular to the shed a wooden building was added with an empty space in front, to provide room for various functions and activities. We sometimes had freshy night activities there when the weather did not permit to have them outside Noblisse obliqe though! To keep up with its prestige ABAC badly needed an up-to-date canteen. And so came up the St. Gabriel building, to house the bookstore, a two-storey cafeteria, offices for student activities. Originally, the building was to have four floors. During the construction Rev. Br. Martin came up with the ideal that a fifth floor be ideal for a mini-gymnasium. As the foundations were strong enough the architect and the engineer gave the green light. A few months after the building had been inaugurated an unusually strong gale blew up the windows on the fifth floor and the roof. That was April 1982.

Ground floor to Fifth floor:  St. Gabriel's Library

St. Louis Hall (L Building)

A six-storey building located between the R.S. 200 Assumption Building and the Martin de Tour Building, St. Louis Hall (L Building) was initially constructed in October 1995 and completed in 1996.

Martin de Tours Building (M Building)

Martin de Tours Building (built in 1986)

Always in need and in quest of space, ABAC had set a wooden building on a swampy spot beyond the new toilets. It lodged a couple of class-rooms and the College Clinic. Viewed from the pond side, it looked quite happy.

On  the other hand, the Student Affairs Department had no place of its own; the MBA program was expanding and other programs were in the marking; CRIB could hardly breathe in its small quarters, between the Office of the Dean of MBA and the MBA secretariat, than the Continuing Education Program Office. To move CRIB to the fourth floor of the St. Gabriel building meant that the student council and all related activities had to find another place. The wooden building location was the ideal place for all these requirements. Dr. Subin Pinkhayan, Minister of University Affairs, presided over the opening in February 1987 and praised the idea of putting up the building to serve the students only.

Dr. Choop Plaza

A venue for activities and recreation of instructors, students and staff of the university, Dr. Choop Plaza was built in 1982 as a memorial to Professor Dr. Choop Kanchanapakorn, a former rector (which was called “director” at that time), the 3rd one of Assumption University.

Sala Pratipalai

Sala Pratipalai was erected in 1989 on the University Campus. Set on the edge of the lake which adorns the grounds of the University, it is directly opposite the Coronation Hall building which is already a famous landmark in the Bangkapi district of Bangkok.

The Sala is in the Thai architectural style called the "Jaturamuk" it has, as the etymology of the Thai word implies,  four entrances or four fronts. The northern and southern exposures are identical as are the western and eastern exposures. The design imitates the architectural features of the Royal Pavilion in Ayudthaya, minus the crown or canopy of the Royal Pavilion.

The literal translation of Pratipalai is "Dwelling Place of Light". This is an appropriate name for the Sala as the design creates an atmosphere of peach and harmony and provides an aesthetic inspiration conducive to study and contemplation.

Coronation Hall MCMLXXXIX (C Building)

ABAC's policy under the present leadership has been two-pronged; to create an international image among faculty and students and to foster Thai Culture. In a cosy little corner near the pond, the International Center and the Thai Culture Center try in their humble way to promote this policy.

In 1988 Thailand gleefully honored H.M. the king as the longest reigning monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. ABAC decided to join in by putting up something grandiose, a fifteen-storied building that would meet with recent developments. The ground floor, christened Hall of Fame, has been the venue for many seminars already. Under, a modern bookstore cum gift shop welcome customers; the first few floors are for classes, then one can find the Computing Centers, the Faculty of Arts, the Research Center, and a restaurant on the 12th floor. The upper three floors are residing quarters with first class hotel rooms for foreign lecturers and occasional visitors. The majestic golden dome that crowns it can be seen miles around.

From Coronation Hall across the basket-ball courts, a splendid Sala Prathipalai, reminiscence of Bang-Pa-In, sets near the Pond a symbol of peace and quietness, an invitation to prayer.

Student Center

A 4-storey building built in 1991, consisting of offices of advisors, Student Center is the place for various student clubs and ABAC Cafeteria.

Engineering Building (E Building)

This 9-storey Engineering Building was built in 1992, used as classrooms and laboratories for chemistry, biology, electricity, electronics, physics, computers and biotechnology. It is also used as instructors' offices and engineering workshops.

Queen Tower (Q Building)

Queen's Tower is a 16-storey building, completed in 1992, to serve as classrooms and offices of various faculties: Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Biotechnology, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Communication Arts. Besides, it is used as instructors’ offices, and various offices of Student Affairs Department, including Guidance Center, Career Center, Sports and Activities Center, ABAC Dummy Company and Alumni Association of Assumption University (ABACA)