Bangkok governor to boost capital's green spaces

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayothin yesterday unveiled plans to increase the amount of open space in the capital to three metres per capita.

The governor, who visited the construction sites of two of the ten new public parks to be built this year, described the new open spaces as a gift to the people of Bangkok.

"At present there are two metres of green space for each Bangkok resident, whereas the ideal standard is four metres", he noted.

"The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) aims that by 2008, Bangkok will have three metres of open space per capita through the redevelopment of land as parks, the beautification of traffic islands, and the distribution of plants to the public to raise at home", he said.

The Interior Ministry public park and sports ground, visited by Mr. Apirak yesterday, is located on 20 rai of land in Prawet district.

Scheduled for completion in March, the park will consist of a number of areas, including a children's play area and three sports fields.

The other park visited by the governor, which celebrates the 70th birthday of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, is located on 53 rai of land in the same district.

Some of the land in the park is being given over to housing for previous squatters.

Other features of the park include water pools, pavilions and a greenhouse.

Under the 'Bangkok - our clean home' campaign, the BMA will build 10 public parks over the next year, adding to the capital's existing 14.

--TNA 2005-02-12

Apirak is a great disappointment. Such high hopes that he'd 'do' but all he does is 'talk' and look pretty. (He's learnt to be a Politican then!)

The sidewalks are still potholed, the soi dogs savage each other after dark, motorbikes ride up the pavements. All this could be changed overnight.

Apirak pouts and flutters his eyelashes, and talks about things that will happen in 5 years time.

What happened to Chuwit Kamolvisit's promised park at Sukhumvit soi 10? Don't tell me that was just a ruse to keep him out of jail!

Sounds great to me,more trees.Wouldn't it be great if Bangkok streets looked like those in Singapore.

Thaksin said same same after he went to Singapore.

"Why can't we clean up and look like Singapore?"

He then said that ALL the signposts that get placed right in the middle of the sidewalks had to be removed before the Queens last birthday.

"Crackdown on signposts"

...guess what happened..............nothing.