file photo

 

Thailand's media was full of praise for the anticipated opening of the Benjakitti Forest Park in the central downtown area of the Thai capital Bangkok.

 

They reported that the entire project would be open from February.

 

Amid the gushing predictions are that Bangkokians would finally be able to breathe fully again, they would experience the fluttering of the birds, be able to jog amid the green beauty redolent of being in the countryside. 

 

It's a great project though it has taken the best part of three decades and nearly a billion baht to come to fruition after the Thai Tobacco Monopoly grounds were developed in 1994. 

 

But one serious doubt remains that could be a huge bugbear and which the Thai media ignored in their haste to celebrate the impending opening. 

 

What about the air quality in the capital?

 

Last February as the so called burning season in nearby provinces as well as pollution from cars and trucks fouled up the Bangkok air people were wearing masks to stop the particulate matter more than Covid!

 

It remains to be seen if the capital's notorious air pollution will put a damper on February's "breathe again" hyperbole. 

 

And result in people spluttering in the park as lip-serving, face saving officialdom once again do things like spray water in the air and have crackdowns on smoke belching trucks rather than address the underlying causes year round.

 

Bangkok's woes are mirrored in many other cities in Thailand particularly Chiang Mai and Pattaya.

 

Watch this space. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-09-24

 

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How long will the greenery last before the Bangkok air kills it ?

That park was already a great place to bike (rent or BYO), jog, paddle and interact with local cuties.  Also met a lot of very nice locals who weren't so cute, but very friendly.  That was before they closed it to tear down the QSNCC and rebuild the park to include the Tobacco Monopoly land.

 

Hopefully, they left the bike/boat/canoe rental concession in place...  I doubt they can do anything about the BKK air quality.  But that, they can.  It was great to be able to rent a canoe, a swanboat or a bicycle, for those who don't have their own.  Reasonable rental rates, too.

 

Edited September 24, 20214 yr by impulse

I jog past that park about 3 times/week. It's really coming along. It's going to be a beautiful area when it's finished.