Among a number of exciting new shows, Thai Manuporn Luengaram and Bangkok-based Australian David Teh have put together a playful two-part interactive exhibition called "Platform". In the first part, "About Installation", five young Thai artists are converting the conventional white-walled Queen's Gallery on Phan Fah Road into a playground. By changing the notion of a gallery - "don't touch the art" - visitors are invited to make their own paper toys and take them home, sip English tea, lie down on a comfy bed and watch movies or remake the galaxy in a dark tent.

Next week visitors at the government-run Chulalongkorn University's Art Centre will be able to enter a dark room, point a gun and shoot and discover installations on display. There is also an interactive sound installation and video art. This is the second part of the show, entitled "Multimedia Lab". At 100 Tonson Gallery, young Thanavi Chotpradit has assembled the early work of four established female artists in "A Little More Sweet, Not Too Sour". The exhibition includes American Louise Bourgeois' prints with hand colouring, Japanese Yayoi Kusama's signature polka-dot prints, Araya Rasdjaramrearnsook's black and white prints and Pinaree Sanpitak's paintings, drawings and prints. The show examines issues of femininity and personal identity.

While busy with his conceptual art installations both here and abroad, Phatchaya Pinthong (now showing "About Installation" at Queen's Gallery) wears another hat as curator at the newly opened VER Gallery, owned by Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija.

Joseph Ng, a long-time Bangkok-based Singaporean artist and writer, is now becoming a full-time curator at Tang Contemporary Art, a commercial gallery from Beijing. Here, Joseph introduces emerging Chinese artists to the Thai contemporary art scene. He also collaborates with Thai art institutes to promote Chinese art.

Next February The Nation's brand-new project, the Bangkok International Art Festival, will introduce new curators Srinit Suwanasak and Bangkok-based American Conelley Blake. In their debut festival, Srinit and Blake join hands with independent young curators Pracamkrong, Pongpaiboon, Preena Nana and Chattiya Nitpolprasert. They aim to turn Bangkok into a colourful city with works by over 50 artists both local and international. Art will be everywhere: in parks, on banners on the streets, on the Skytrain, in department stores. The three-week festival is supported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC).

Interestingly, these young curators have plans to work together. This boom in collaboration is a good sign for the local art scene. However, it's too early to say if these curators will last. Gaining a good reputation takes a long time. While some professional artists are happy to work with these young curators, some prefer to keep an eye on their projects in the meantime. These curators are the third generation. Over two decades ago, Professor Apinan Poshyananda and Associate Professor Somporm Rodboon worked actively to promote contemporary art in both the local and international arenas. Now Apinan, the OCAC's director, has a more challenging job pushing contemporary art into national policy. Somporn now promotes contemporary art in Chiang Mai, where she is teaching at Chiang Mai University.

The second curator/art-director generation came to the fore in 1997 when the contemporary art scene gained three active female art directors newly graduated from abroad. From New York came Klaomas Yipintsoi, who opened About Studio/About Café in Chinatown. From Chicago came Gridthiya Gaweewong, who turned an apartment in Samsen into an alternative art space called "Project 304". From Sydney came Lukana Kunavichayanond, who managed Tadu Contemporary Art gallery on Royal City Avenue.

After shaping the scene for about seven years, these directors shifted to other interests. Now About Café and Project 304 are closed, after leaving their mark on the kingdom's contemporary art scene. Tadu Contemporary Art is still open but in a new location close to the Thailand Cultural Centre, with a young director. Lukana is a new mother and runs her fashion boutique, Morphis, at Siam Centre. Gridthiya still curates but focuses on the international arena. She is now co-curating the Saigon Art Festival in Ho Chi Minh City with Rirkrit Tiravanija. Klaomas is now in Hua Hin for a long-term renovation project at Marukhathaiyawan Palace.

The third generation of curators opens a new chapter in the local art scene. Young curators have to study our historical art scene, taking good things from the past and also analysing the mistakes. Networking and collaborating among artists, curators and critics will develop the scene further. The most important thing is the audience reaction. Presenting contemporary art just for art's sake does not work. The idea of contemporary art is to try to blur the boundaries between art and life. These young curators should present shows for the sake of both art and the public. This is the challenging task.

 Phatarawadee Phataranawik