VIDEO: Green space in Bangkok! Huge new forest park to open in Thai capital

 

Image: ASEAN Skyline

 

A forest is coming to downtown Bangkok, the amazing city that is the jewel in the crown of Thailand.

 

The huge city - one of the most visited in the whole world prior to the pandemic and one of the best - has often been criticized for its lack of green spaces especially when compared to cities of a similar size abroad. 

 

That is now set to change, at least in part, with the opening of the Suan Pa Benjakitti park.

 

This will be known as the Benjakitti Forest Park in English.

 

It is being constructed on 259 rai of land in Klong Toei district off Rama IV road on land that was formerly owned by the Thai Tobacco Monopoly. 

 

Stages two and three of the project costing 652 million baht will transform the open land into a wonderful area for city residents and visitors in the heart of the capital.

 

It is set to be complete next year and will include such features as a 1.5 kilometer elevated walkway, canals, ponds, areas for sports and a bicycle track that will connect to Lumpini Park, another major open space in the downtown area nearby.

 

The park promises to be a green lung for the city and further enhance Bangkok's reputation as a major tourist capital of the world. 

 

And one that despite its problems of traffic and overcrowding is becoming ever more friendly to its residents and visitors and every more liveable. 

 

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Are they ignoring the fact bangkok is soon to be underwater?

 

Can only be a good thing.

 

Having lived here for so many years I’m wondering how they can turn this into a bad thing ?

 

Graft will happen somewhere, there will be some scandal, officials receiving massive pay offs for procurement of wonderfully expensive trees imported from Sweeden only to find a few acres of missing rainforest in Kanchanburi !

 

Charging foreigners entry ? free for Thai’s ???? - oh.. .the cynicism is strong today !!! (too much coffee I suspect !) 

 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

A forest is coming to downtown Bangkok, the amazing city that is the jewel in the crown of Thailand.

Nice idea, beautiful

 

Hopefully people will be able to see it - 

as

 

Haze is expected to choke Bangkok

I fast walk around that "lake" all the time I am in Bangkok. Benjakitti Park is really nice.

 

now as for the air... 

I presume this will connect with the Lumphini- Benjakitti Green Mile walking/bike trail.

 

 

Benjakitti Park really surprised me with how it has filled in and matured into a really beautiful public space which makes me very optimistic for this new park.

When first opened around 2005, Benjakitti Park was just a vast, open field with nice pathways but no shade trees, thus a poor venue for exercise as there was virtually no respite from the sun.

Now, most of it's walkways and tracks are shaded by a nice variety of trees. It is a lovely place to spend time, whether exercising of just enjoying it's flowers and greenery in a relatively peaceful setting. 

 

It has long been feared that the vast Tobacco Monopoly property would be developed into a mega "City within a city" project, dominated by luxury housing, condos and shopping malls.  Several of the super-rich development families such as the Chareon Pokphand group were really pushing for it.  The fact that a public space won out is an unexpected surprise.

1 hour ago, tingtongfarang said:

Are they ignoring the fact bangkok is soon to be underwater?

 

Don't be so silly, the tree will keep the city afloat!

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Can only be a good thing.

 

Having lived here for so many years I’m wondering how they can turn this into a bad thing ?

 

Graft will happen somewhere, there will be some scandal, officials receiving massive pay offs for procurement of wonderfully expensive trees imported from Sweeden only to find a few acres of missing rainforest in Kanchanburi !

 

Charging foreigners entry ? free for Thai’s ???? - oh.. .the cynicism is strong today !!! (too much coffee I suspect !) 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Can only be a good thing.

 

Having lived here for so many years I’m wondering how they can turn this into a bad thing ?

 

Graft will happen somewhere, there will be some scandal, officials receiving massive pay offs for procurement of wonderfully expensive trees imported from Sweeden only to find a few acres of missing rainforest in Kanchanburi !

 

Charging foreigners entry ? free for Thai’s ???? - oh.. .the cynicism is strong today !!! (too much coffee I suspect !) 

 

 

Have been living within 5 mins walk of Benjakitti Park since before construction started in the early 2000s. The adjacent extension on Tobacco Monopoly land which opened a few years ago is interconnected to BP and the Forest Park will also be interconnected. No entry fee now (same as the nearby parks - Benjasiri and Lumpini) and I don't expect there to be one in the future.

 

The existing parks are very well maintained and a credit to Bangkok. I expect the same for the Forest Park. What happens along the way we cannot control so why mention it? You have been here long enough to know that something may or will happen.

5 hours ago, tingtongfarang said:

Are they ignoring the fact bangkok is soon to be underwater?

 

What a ridiculous response to very good news.

I have been wondering aboit this.

 

Since they closed the bike loop for some sort of construction at sirikit park during covid and created a tiny less than 1 km loop in the park next door I began riding  a 3 km loop through the tobacco monopoly.

 

During the first quarrantine they started tearing down the warehouse buildings one by one and last month I went back to ride that loop and everything had been levelled.

 

Earthmovers had also been in and while the big trees for the most part remain all warehouses office buildings, every thing is now gone.

 

I could find nothing online about the plans.

 

I hoped it was to be developed as a park, the tobacco monopoly had promised to dedicate 400 rai, and they were still around, 300 rai short after creating sirikit and its sattelite.

 

Now it seems they have made good.

 

Im chuffed.

 

Edit -- I've just now watched ine of the vidoes and alot of things make sense. They have been doing some veey heavy eath moving creating large berms, some 3 or 4 metres high. It seems they are doing some contouring for the wetland they plan to build.

4 hours ago, fangless said:

Don't be so silly, the tree will keep the city afloat!

Im guessing neither of you actually took the time to watch the videos or understand the intent, for one thing it should help control the water as a natural way to control run off.

And Bangkonians can cycle there in the Bangkok cycle lanes. 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

formerly owned by the Thai Tobacco Monopoly. 

 

At least they were honest with their name. 

4 hours ago, dddave said:

It has long been feared that the vast Tobacco Monopoly property would be developed into a mega "City within a city" project, dominated by luxury housing, condos and shopping malls.  Several of the super-rich development families such as the Chareon Pokphand group were really pushing for it.  The fact that a public space won out is an unexpected surprise.

 

My GF works for the Tobacco Monopoly in Chiang Mai and says the first area is being developed as park (under construction now) but there's a second half which is likely being given to Chang Beer and could become a tourist attraction.

1 hour ago, rimmae2 said:

 

Have been living within 5 mins walk of Benjakitti Park since before construction started in the early 2000s. The adjacent extension on Tobacco Monopoly land which opened a few years ago is interconnected to BP and the Forest Park will also be interconnected. No entry fee now (same as the nearby parks - Benjasiri and Lumpini) and I don't expect there to be one in the future.

 

The existing parks are very well maintained and a credit to Bangkok. I expect the same for the Forest Park. What happens along the way we cannot control so why mention it? You have been here long enough to know that something may or will happen.

 

I too have lived just across the road from Benjakitti park, I used to cycle round the 2.2km track regularly (a little bit hazardous that with people blindly wondering on to the cycle lane !).

 

I think you missed the sarcasm and cynicism of my post. 

 

Regarding your question... What happens along the way we cannot control so why mention it? - You are aware this is a forum designed specifically for discussion, right? 

 

Of course, I don’t believe there will be a dual charge - the ‘dig’ at Thai Dual charging was purely a that, just a dig - hence my comment about having too much coffee this morning !!!  

 

 

9 hours ago, n00dle said:

What a ridiculous response to very good news.

I agree, but he isn’t really that wrong about it, though. Bangkok is already 1.5 meters below sea level and it keeps sinking every year by a few centimeters and in combination with rising sea levels it’s inevitable that Bangkok will be flooded unless they build a dam around it which would have to be about 350 kilometers long. 

14 hours ago, dddave said:

It has long been feared that the vast Tobacco Monopoly property would be developed into a mega "City within a city" project, dominated by luxury housing, condos and shopping malls.  Several of the super-rich development families such as the Chareon Pokphand group were really pushing for it.  The fact that a public space won out is an unexpected surprise.

Yes.

I ride through that area almost everyday. By now most of the old buildings are gone. I was wondering if I see next the concrete trucks for the foundation of the new shopping malls and luxury condos - that's what I expected.

Great that they make a park out of it.

As for the timing: That is a huge area and if they want to finish that next year they better hurry.

On second view, what are all those building?

They must be new because the a small street and the highway is next to the area. Currently there are trees were the new buildings are on that plan...

It'll be nice to have a green place to enjoy breathing in the smog, noise and toxic levels of 2.5 PM air pollution while visiting downtown Bangkok, the amazing city that is the jewel in the crown of Thailand.????

10 hours ago, n00dle said:

Im guessing neither of you actually took the time to watch the videos or understand the intent, for one thing it should help control the water as a natural way to control run off.

So according to you one little park is going to stop Bangkok from getting flooded.

 

PS;  My comment regarding the trees was meant in jest! get a life!

Awesome

Compared to the 10 sqm of park we have in Pattaya

16 hours ago, tingtongfarang said:

Are they ignoring the fact bangkok is soon to be underwater?

 

More trees to climb up and keep your toes dry! 

16 hours ago, tingtongfarang said:

Are they ignoring the fact bangkok is soon to be underwater?

 

It will revert to a swamp quite nicely... everything goes back to mother nature.

15 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I fast walk around that "lake" all the time I am in Bangkok. Benjakitti Park is really nice.

Out scouting?

20 hours ago, webfact said:

the amazing city that is the jewel in the crown of Thailand.

What?

Great news. I’ve been watching guys on YouTube bicycle around it. Apparently the construction areas are all open and anyone can just go in to see.

 

Conveniently located right behind Soi Nana. Ah. Upon arriving in BKK for the first time, what does one do with their barfines? Straight back to the hotel? Oh, that’s hardly the way to experience Thailand, nor the Thai girlfriend experience. Terminal 21? Go out to eat or coffee? Those hardly are either. Now, a romantic walk around a beautiful new park, and perhaps a picnic, with one’s 7-11 provisions. Now that’s the ticket.

Wouldn’t it be better putting the money towards getting their citizens of the poverty line  

took a few walks from Sukhomvit to Rama IV Road recently through the old Tobacco Monopoly.  They completely razed all the old buildings

and I was fearing the advent of more super luxury condos on the way.  This is welcome news, indeed.