A father’s vision and a son’s determination to honor the memory. This is the story of DIB, Bangkok’s new contemporary art museum, which opened to the public in late December 2025.
Located in a 1980s warehouse redesigned by Kulapat Yantrasast of Why Architecture and the team at Architects 49, DIB was the dream of contemporary art collector Petch Osathanugrah, who passed away on August 14, 2023. His son, Purat (Chang) Osathanugrah, courageously took up his father’s mantle, opening the family’s previously private collection to the public. Purat (Chang) Osathanugrah explains this philanthropic effort and the democratization of art as follows: “Supporting the arts and education has always been at the heart of our family’s goals, and it is an honor to present Thailand’s first international contemporary art museum here in Bangkok.”
The building comprises 11 exhibition halls housing a collection of over 1,000 artworks by more than 200 artists, ranging from pictorial art to high-tech installations. With a 1,400-square-meter courtyard, an outdoor sculpture garden, and soaring upper floors, the DIB is a space architecturally and conceptually designed to welcome people and ideas. Its inaugural exhibition, titled (In)visible Presence, runs until August 3, 2026. Through the display of contemporary artworks by international and Thai artists, the public embarks on a sensory journey invisible to the naked eye, yet perceptible through the artistic sensibility within each of us.
Purat (Chang) Osathanugrah states: Bangkok, with all its energy, creativity, and unstoppable spirit, has long been waiting for a hub for its contemporary art scene that matches its vibrancy, a place that celebrates art as dynamically and boldly as the city itself.
The word Dib, meaning “rough” in Thai, perfectly describes the energy and spirit of Bangkok and aims to restore art to its original state.
Among the artists featured in the collection is Jannis Kounellis, one of the leading representatives of Arte Povera.
