Finance Ministry okays plan to develop Benjakitti Forest Park

By The Nation

 

 

The Finance Ministry has given the green light to the Treasury Department and the Royal Thai Army to start developing Bangkok’s Benjakitti Forest Park from next month.

 

Deputy Finance Minister Santi Promphat said Bt652 million will be earmarked for the project, which should be completed by February 2022.

The agreement will be signed on Monday.

 

Santi said the development will be done in two phases – the first will involve improving the landscape and planting more trees, while the second will include the construction of museums, which should be ready by February 2022.

 

“The first phase should be completed by June next year, so it can be used to mark the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother on August 12,” he said.

 

“For the second phase, we have urged designers to consider a city tower as this will serve as a new destination in Bangkok.

 

“We have also urged the Treasury Department and related agencies to install solar panels in the park to generate electricity for the Chaipattana aerator and lighting system,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30396615

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-23

 

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6 hours ago, webfact said:

“For the second phase, we have urged designers to consider a city tower as this will serve as a new destination in Bangkok.

This is a forest park - why not focus on trees, and put any towers elsewhere? Or perhaps they can't see the forest for the trees ????

Another dumb idea from Thai bureaucrats. The Park is lovely as it is. Sure, plant more trees, but otherwise Thai improvements often end up making things worse. 

Definitely more trees is good - as long as not removing others first unless necessary. But putting buildings in as well? I think it would spoil the character. Lumpini Park could be so much nicer if not for the endless number of odd (unused) buildings and constructions dotted all over.

Does this include part of the "Tobacco Monopoly" property?  Ideas for that land have been tossed around for years.  

3 hours ago, dddave said:

Does this include part of the "Tobacco Monopoly" property?  Ideas for that land have been tossed around for years.  

It's a small piece of land on the eastern edge of that property, but was turned into a park before the rest of the huge property was emptied out. I haven't heard what they're going to do with all that real estate now that it's mostly been cleared - as you say, that's been under discussion for decades.

Thanks..Got it.  I was thinking they were talking about expanding into the Tobacco Monopoly but now realize that the area they are proposing developing is probably the former site of the Sirikit  Convention Center which I believe was demolished last year.

On 10/23/2020 at 3:08 PM, thecyclist said:

Another dumb idea from Thai bureaucrats. The Park is lovely as it is. Sure, plant more trees, but otherwise Thai improvements often end up making things worse. 

'Treasury Department and the Royal Thai Army' are surely not the obvious bodies to call upon to improve landscapes and their ideas for museums usually involve letting Thailand know how lucky they are to have the 'institution.'

Enough of these already.