Dog Park, Hospitals Among Bangkok Administration Pre-Election Gifts

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Dog park, hospitals among BMA pre-election gifts

THANATPONG KONGSAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Just months before Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra's tenure ends, his city administration has unveiled many interesting projects.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), for example, is now preparing to create the country's first dog park for the four-legged best friends of many city residents. This dog park will span 4.6 rai of land and include a veterinary building.

"Dogs will get space to exercise. The park is specially designed for them," BMA spokesman Wasan Meewong said yesterday.

He said this dog park would be a part of the project to create a public park in Bangkok's Bang Khen district under a Bt50-million budget.

"The construction for the project will likely start in January and this new public park should be ready to welcome visitors by October next year," Wasan said.

He said this new public park would span over 33 rai of land, and 24 rai of it would be landscaped.

"It will include an 800-metre jogging track and a 900-metre bicycle lane. There will be two outdoor stages and a zone for the elderly too," Wasan said. He added that the park's parking zones would have space for 80 vehicles.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Dr Malinee Sukvejvorakij said BMA was also in the process of setting up four 200-bed hospitals in four corners of Bangkok in line with Sukhumbhand's policy.

"The governor has issued this policy in response to urban expansion," she said. "The increased number of hospitals will provide greater convenience to people living in suburban zones and avoid overcrowding at hospitals in inner Bangkok."

She said the Bang Khun Thien Hospital on Bangkok's Thon Buri side would start its services from December 3.

In eastern Bangkok, the design for the Khlong Sam Wa Hospital is now being reviewed by the BMA Public Works Department. Once the design is approved, construction will begin on a 20-rai plot in Bangkok Noi district.

"People have donated this plot of land to Wat Srisudraram Ratchaworawihan and its abbot has agreed to the plan to construct the hospital," Malinee said.

In northern Bangkok, the Don Muang Hospital will be built on a 10-rai plot of land donated by Thanpuying Choen Pisonyabutr. In southern Bangkok, BMA will construct another hospital in Bang Na district.

"We are in the process of finding an appropriate plot of land," she said.

The gubernatorial election in Bangkok is set to take place in February. In recent months, the BMA and Sukhumbhand have announced a slew of projects.

-- The Nation 2012-11- 27

[Notstupid30]

I can next see tourism of thailand promoting dog parks to highend travelers within LOS ..

[JeremyBowskill]

Dog park and cycle track, if I wanna get chased by a mutt on my bike I just ride down the soi where I live! I would see no reason to travel for this wonderful experience.

[greg71]

8o car spaces lol

[jonclark]

Great idea - Most dog owners have no where other than the street to exercise their dogs and most cities have some form of designated exercise area, so why shouldn't Bangkok

[Ragzilb]

I must say, when I came here to Thailand, I loved dogs, but now? I actually HATE dogs,more than anything. I cannot even take a nice walk after dark before I got a dog in my heel or barkinbg me half deaf. THERE ARE SIMPLY TOO MANY DOGS IN THAILAND and nobody is actually teaching their dogs to behave.

[WilliaminBKK]

Fantastic, I've used a dog park in other country's & it works well. The one thing they'll have to enforce is that all pets have been vaccinated and I'll be there.

[asiawatcher]

Nice idea, even the budget sounds real for once. But 80 car spaces? What about the doggie poop?

[jonclark]

Nice idea, even the budget sounds real for once. But 80 car spaces? What about the doggie poop?

I wonder if they will employ a gang pooper scoopers, similar tp the street cleaners , or if they will sell the dog poop baggies and enforce the mandatory use of within the park - cause if the whole park is left full of rotting dog crap it will soon lose its appeal

[FOODLOVER]

Finally, maybe this will get the responsible owners to teach the others how things should be done. Leashes and licenses and for god sakes the green tag that says your dog has been vaccinated against rabies!

[realfunster]

Based on the article it looks like the dog park (4.4 rai) will be a component of the overall park (33 rai). I guess the areas will be segregated so probably no need for joggers/cyclists to be concerned. Let's hope they enforce poop and scoop.

Definitely a small first step in the right direction for Bangkok's myriad dog issues (both street and domestic) and hopefully to be followed by an eventual reclaiming of the streets from dogs for safe human use- free of excrement and aggressive barking (or worse). I look forward to another place to exercise my dogs without the need to carry a large stick for protection.

[lensta]

This guy does sweet FA for most of his tenure, and when it is about to end, he comes up with these bright ideas. Why couldn't all these "interesting projects" have been implemented before? Oh sorry, I forgot, he wants to be re elected Bkk Governor.

[lemoncake]

I can next see tourism of thailand promoting dog parks to highend travelers within LOS ..

gee, how dare the government of bangkok not to think about tourists first

dog park is for people of bangkok and is a bloody good idea, there is absolutely no need to make fun of it or slam it just for the sake of it

Edited November 27, 2012 by lemoncake

[longtom]

I can next see tourism of thailand promoting dog parks to highend travelers within LOS ..

gee, how dare the government of bangkok not to think about tourists first

dog park is for people of bangkok and is a bloody good idea, there is absolutely no need to make fun of it or slam it just for the sake of it

Is it OK when I smile (inwardly at least) about 'dog park is for people of bangkok' ?

[lemoncake]

I can next see tourism of thailand promoting dog parks to highend travelers within LOS ..

gee, how dare the government of bangkok not to think about tourists first

dog park is for people of bangkok and is a bloody good idea, there is absolutely no need to make fun of it or slam it just for the sake of it

Is it OK when I smile (inwardly at least) about 'dog park is for people of bangkok' ?

it is, OK< after all i am yet to see a home pet drive it self to the the dog park.

common sense is a rare commodity these days

[Orac]

This guy does sweet FA for most of his tenure, and when it is about to end, he comes up with these bright ideas. Why couldn't all these "interesting projects" have been implemented before? Oh sorry, I forgot, he wants to be re elected Bkk Governor.

Maybe he is worried he might not get re elected so wants to get some large infrastructure projects off the ground before hand so as the attached graft money does not go into the wrong hands.

[soomak]

Dog park and cycle track, if I wanna get chased by a mutt on my bike I just ride down the soi where I live! I would see no reason to travel for this wonderful experience.

It must be a new "hub" for dog lovers

[bkk_mike]

Finally, maybe this will get the responsible owners to teach the others how things should be done. Leashes and licenses and for god sakes the green tag that says your dog has been vaccinated against rabies!

Green tag?

Our dogs are vaccinated, but we didn't get any Rabies tag for them.

They're also microchipped, but as I don't know of any online database in Thailand linking the microchip numbers to their owners, I'm not sure I see the point (other than it's a requirement for taking them with us to the UK next year).

[Keesters]

I must say, when I came here to Thailand, I loved dogs, but now? I actually HATE dogs,more than anything. I cannot even take a nice walk after dark before I got a dog in my heel or barkinbg me half deaf. THERE ARE SIMPLY TOO MANY DOGS IN THAILAND and nobody is actually teaching their dogs to behave.

Don't blame the dogs BLAME THE OWNERS.

P.S. IMO If you feed a dog you are its owner.