The Erawan Hotel was a luxury hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok. It was one of the first modern hotels built to accommodate the expansion of international air travel, and was operated by the government-owned company The Syndicate of Thai Hotels and Tourists Enterprises. It opened in 1956, following many delays which prompted the construction of the Erawan Shrine to ward off bad fortune. After initial struggles, the hotel prospered in the 1960s under the management of Chalermchai Charuvastr, who featured a Thai atmosphere in its decor and services, but declined in the following decades as it faced rising competition. The hotel stood until 1988, when it was demolished for redevelopment under a private joint venture. It reopened in 1991 as the Grand Hyatt Erawan.