New park in central Bangkok gives Thais needed green space June 19, 2022 A new park in central Bangkok gives Thais the green spaces they need<br /> June 19, 2022 Creation time: 09:22 AM Last update: 09:22 AM Views: 41 Bangkok, June 19 (BUS): A new indoor garden abounds with trees, ponds, plants and birds, to the delight of residents of the bustling and bustling Thai capital. Every day, crowds visit Benjakiti Forest Park for a taste of nature in the heart of Bangkok. It’s part of a campaign to create a greener, livable Bangkok by 2030, by providing shade, calm and tranquility to the hot, motley city, the Associated Press reports. Another park adjacent to the site was built in the 1990s, with a vast man-made lake. But the new, semi-wild 41-hectare (101-acre) stretch of land captured the capital’s imagination. On weekends, up to 12,000 people a day use its nature trail, trails and cycling trails, taking photos from viewing platforms to fill out their social media feeds. The site was formerly home to the factories of Thailand Tobacco Monopoly. A gradual transformation began several years ago, and this year visitors began pouring in ahead of the official opening planned for August. The chirping of instruments ceased to be replaced by the chirping of birds and the chirping of frogs. Even the noise of nearby traffic fades to a barely discernible hum. “I love it,” said 44-year-old music teacher Luckachai Krichnoi, who has declared his distaste for air-conditioned rooms and malls. “I love the outdoors and fresh air. Bangkok doesn’t have many big parks. I am glad we have such a beautiful space.” The design blends old and new. The architects kept more than 1,700 of the original, mature trees on the site, then planted nearly 7,000 more trees—most of them seedlings—to create pockets of woodland throughout the park. As they age, their leaves grow and spread, deepening the cover. The park has already been a hit with nature lovers such as bird watcher and photographer Somsak Gatrung, who says he visits it almost daily and has discovered more than 40 species so far, although others have counted many more. “The way they designed the park is very special because they put all kinds of trees here,” he said. “You know, birds go where there’s food, right.” Water plays a central role. A series of ponds and islands create a wildlife-friendly wetland environment that also serves as a treatment system, filtering wastewater from neighboring communities. According to one of the designers, one of their goals was to revive the city’s residents’ relations with the natural world. The greenness of the garden will diminish with the seasons, just as it does in nature. Landscape architect, Chatchanin Sung, said a green area could be more than just a place to run or jog if it makes people more environmentally aware and encourages living in harmony with nature. Enclosed in concrete and steel, the city’s residents currently enjoy 7 square meters (75 square feet) of urban green space per capita, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. The goal is to increase this to 10 square meters (108 square feet) by 2030 through a much-touted park-building program, and by planting more trees. But one expert argues that Bangkok’s real problem is not so much the average area, as its distribution. The view of the new garden highlights that point. Benjakiti Park is located in the area where the per capita green space is much higher than other areas. So, yes, the park is very beautiful, very beautiful, I love it, but what about the other areas? Niramun Sirisakul, director of the Center for Urban Design and Development at Chulalongkorn University, said. “Should the BMA—I mean the government authority that owns the land—should they consider building this kind of park in other areas that still lack that kind of space?” She said. Six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the blissful surroundings of Benjakiti, another piece of green stretches across Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River. At sunset, despite the roar of traffic, it’s an attraction that offers sweeping views and a fresh breeze. The 280-meter (919-foot) Chao Phraya Sky Park was constructed two years before a bridge was built but never used. Niramun argued that Bangkok needs more of this kind of creative use of abandoned and space-time, to address the lack of urban green areas in a more equitable manner. Source link Related READ MORE Germany could phase out coal earlier, as power supply secured
June 19, 2022 Creation time: 09:22 AM Last update: 09:22 AM Views: 41 Bangkok, June 19 (BUS): A new indoor garden abounds with trees, ponds, plants and birds, to the delight of residents of the bustling and bustling Thai capital. Every day, crowds visit Benjakiti Forest Park for a taste of nature in the heart of Bangkok. It’s part of a campaign to create a greener, livable Bangkok by 2030, by providing shade, calm and tranquility to the hot, motley city, the Associated Press reports. Another park adjacent to the site was built in the 1990s, with a vast man-made lake. But the new, semi-wild 41-hectare (101-acre) stretch of land captured the capital’s imagination. On weekends, up to 12,000 people a day use its nature trail, trails and cycling trails, taking photos from viewing platforms to fill out their social media feeds. The site was formerly home to the factories of Thailand Tobacco Monopoly. A gradual transformation began several years ago, and this year visitors began pouring in ahead of the official opening planned for August. The chirping of instruments ceased to be replaced by the chirping of birds and the chirping of frogs. Even the noise of nearby traffic fades to a barely discernible hum. “I love it,” said 44-year-old music teacher Luckachai Krichnoi, who has declared his distaste for air-conditioned rooms and malls. “I love the outdoors and fresh air. Bangkok doesn’t have many big parks. I am glad we have such a beautiful space.” The design blends old and new. The architects kept more than 1,700 of the original, mature trees on the site, then planted nearly 7,000 more trees—most of them seedlings—to create pockets of woodland throughout the park. As they age, their leaves grow and spread, deepening the cover. The park has already been a hit with nature lovers such as bird watcher and photographer Somsak Gatrung, who says he visits it almost daily and has discovered more than 40 species so far, although others have counted many more. “The way they designed the park is very special because they put all kinds of trees here,” he said. “You know, birds go where there’s food, right.” Water plays a central role. A series of ponds and islands create a wildlife-friendly wetland environment that also serves as a treatment system, filtering wastewater from neighboring communities. According to one of the designers, one of their goals was to revive the city’s residents’ relations with the natural world. The greenness of the garden will diminish with the seasons, just as it does in nature. Landscape architect, Chatchanin Sung, said a green area could be more than just a place to run or jog if it makes people more environmentally aware and encourages living in harmony with nature. Enclosed in concrete and steel, the city’s residents currently enjoy 7 square meters (75 square feet) of urban green space per capita, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority. The goal is to increase this to 10 square meters (108 square feet) by 2030 through a much-touted park-building program, and by planting more trees. But one expert argues that Bangkok’s real problem is not so much the average area, as its distribution. The view of the new garden highlights that point. Benjakiti Park is located in the area where the per capita green space is much higher than other areas. So, yes, the park is very beautiful, very beautiful, I love it, but what about the other areas? Niramun Sirisakul, director of the Center for Urban Design and Development at Chulalongkorn University, said. “Should the BMA—I mean the government authority that owns the land—should they consider building this kind of park in other areas that still lack that kind of space?” She said. Six kilometers (3.7 miles) from the blissful surroundings of Benjakiti, another piece of green stretches across Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River. At sunset, despite the roar of traffic, it’s an attraction that offers sweeping views and a fresh breeze. The 280-meter (919-foot) Chao Phraya Sky Park was constructed two years before a bridge was built but never used. Niramun argued that Bangkok needs more of this kind of creative use of abandoned and space-time, to address the lack of urban green areas in a more equitable manner.
