Bangkok concerned about state of Lumpini Park's ecosystem: PDRC occupation

[webfact]

BMA concerned about state of Lumpini Park's ecosystem since occupation by antigovt PDRC protesters
Budsarakham sinlapavan
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- LUMPINI PARK'S ecosystem has been affected after the People's Democratic Reform Committee's (PDRC) decision to establish its rally camp there two months ago, it has been revealed.

Thanakrit Sornvanee, head of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Water Quality Management Bureau's working team for water-quality analysis, said the ecosystem downgrade included water quality and trees.

Thanakrit said that feeding the fish was not usually allowed because park officials fed them and if people threw food into the water it could adversely affect the fish.

He said the protesters' daily activities had an impact on the ecosystem because many cooked and bathed there, hence more waste was being released into the lake.

He said the park's dissolved oxygen (DO) level peaked at 8.0 some days during the PDRC rally. If the DO was over 4, fish risked dying.

Recognising the risk, he said the BMA had adjusted its water-treatment strategy to ensure that the DO was not too high, including water from lake being pumped to a retention pool and treated before being released back into the lake.

On average, he said the BMA had managed to keep the DO at 4.

Thanakrit said his team normally tested the water quality once a month but now did it three times a week.

A park worker, who asked not to be named, said surface aerators had been added to the park to increase oxygen in the water but no chemicals were used because it might effect animal life.

"We don't worry about water quality because water will rehabilitate its own quality, but we are concerned about the trees in the park because we can't water trees in some area as protesters have set up their tents near them," he said.

The 360-rai (57.6-hectare) park, Bangkok's largest, offers rare open public space, trees and playgrounds for the city's residents and visitors, while people can rent boats for use on its large man-made lake.

Walking paths around the park cover 2.5 kilometres in total and are popular for evening strolls and jogging.

Officially, cycling is only permitted between 10am and 3pm. There is a smoking ban throughout the park, and dogs are not allowed.

-- The Nation 2014-05-02

[Lupatria]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

[dluek]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

Do you live in Bangkok? In a sprawling, tightly packed city with minimal trees or green spaces, Lumpini Park is an essential. Environmental issues aside, quality of life for residents has definitely been adversely affected by the occupation of what is essentially Bangkok's "central park".

[Lupatria]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

Do you live in Bangkok? In a sprawling, tightly packed city with minimal trees or green spaces, Lumpini Park is an essential. Environmental issues aside, quality of life for residents has definitely been adversely affected by the occupation of what is essentially Bangkok's "central park".

Isn’t it a little late for tree hugging in a completely miss planned, messed up metropolitan area?

I don’t see the point why they focus on their little “green lung” of the city, instead of solving the problems which are messing up the city in the first place. Unless it's too much work for the guys in charge, shouldn't that be the priority?

[Pib]

He said the park's dissolved oxygen (DO) level peaked at 8.0 some days during the PDRC rally. If the DO was over 4, fish risked dying.

Recognising the risk, he said the BMA had adjusted its water-treatment strategy to ensure that the DO was not too high, including water from lake being pumped to a retention pool and treated before being released back into the lake.

On average, he said the BMA had managed to keep the DO at 4.

Lord knows I'm no fish expert. But above DO levels sound reversed like talked about at this website, with a partial quote below.

Numerous scientific studies suggest that 4-5 parts per million (ppm) of DO is the minimum amount that will support a large, diverse fish population. The DO level in good fishing waters generally averages about 9.0 parts per million (ppm).

[klauskunkel]

LUMPINI PARK'S ecosystem has been affected after the People's Democratic Reform Committee's (PDRC) decision to establish its rally camp there two months ago, it has been revealed.

No need to be concerned, the swans are still moving...

[rickirs]

Lake water quality isn't the only feature that is being affected by the PDRC occupation. Trees were mentioned at risk due to lack of watering. That would aaply to all follage in the area. A lot of the tents and covered meeting areas are on grass so expect a lot of groundcover rehabilitation. I didn't see any porta- potties; with an occupation of several hundreds, public urination and defecation is an extreme health hazard, especially in influenza season.

Why not send the PDRC a bill for any extraordinary maintenance costs to maintain the park during its occupation? Why should the Government, the Thai people be burderned with addiitonal such costs? Theoretically the interim government cannot fund additional maintenance costs anyways because it wasn't part of the original 2013 budget. Perhaps Suthep can just spend a day collecting contributions to cover the costs. That would be the RESPONSIBLE act to do.

[bkkjames]

Perhaps the BMA should concern itself with the water quality (try not to smile) in any klong in this city.

[edgarfriendly]

personally im much more concerned with the stench of human piss & shit which permeates the area a good half mile around the encampment areas.

its vulgar, and yet plenty of people seem perfectly at home among the filth...

[love1012]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

Do you live in Bangkok? In a sprawling, tightly packed city with minimal trees or green spaces, Lumpini Park is an essential. Environmental issues aside, quality of life for residents has definitely been adversely affected by the occupation of what is essentially Bangkok's "central park".

Yet its ok for red shirts to fire M79 grenades round the rest of the city isnt it!! Those dont kill trees do they?

[love1012]

Lake water quality isn't the only feature that is being affected by the PDRC occupation. Trees were mentioned at risk due to lack of watering. That would aaply to all follage in the area. A lot of the tents and covered meeting areas are on grass so expect a lot of groundcover rehabilitation. I didn't see any porta- potties; with an occupation of several hundreds, public urination and defecation is an extreme health hazard, especially in influenza season.

Why not send the PDRC a bill for any extraordinary maintenance costs to maintain the park during its occupation? Why should the Government, the Thai people be burderned with addiitonal such costs? Theoretically the interim government cannot fund additional maintenance costs anyways because it wasn't part of the original 2013 budget. Perhaps Suthep can just spend a day collecting contributions to cover the costs. That would be the RESPONSIBLE act to do.

Yes they should clean up like those eco friendly red shirts did in 2010 ................just a minute!! Any remember the pictures the day central world was burnt and they had to be cleared out?

[Thai at Heart]

I hope they mean COD not DO. .More oxygen is a good thing.

At the end of the day, its a park in a city of millions of cars and filth. It will recover.

[Thai at Heart]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

Do you live in Bangkok? In a sprawling, tightly packed city with minimal trees or green spaces, Lumpini Park is an essential. Environmental issues aside, quality of life for residents has definitely been adversely affected by the occupation of what is essentially Bangkok's "central park".

Would you prefer they took it onto the streets and blocked the roads for 6 months instead?

Bangkok's little green lung is.nice to walk around but it is too small to contribute anything.

[nong2]

This is not about tree-hugging. It's about thousands of people living in Bangkok who enjoy jogging, cycling or just hanging out there every day. Enjoying one of the very few relaxing and green areas in Bangkok is now impossible because some thugs made their camp over there. No excuse from Suthep about the inconvenience, totally disrespecting the pleasure it gives to many Bangkok inhabitants. Many elderly Thai people from Bangkok normally go there every day to enjoy each others company, having a talk and see the world go by. Not anymore, because it's a shit hole right now. The early sympathy Bangkok had for Suthep and his followers is long gone, because they now see clearly that Suthep doesn't give shit about Bangkok and its citizens.

[bkkjames]

This is not about tree-hugging. It's about thousands of people living in Bangkok who enjoy jogging, cycling or just hanging out there every day. Enjoying one of the very few relaxing and green areas in Bangkok is now impossible because some thugs made their camp over there. No excuse from Suthep about the inconvenience, totally disrespecting the pleasure it gives to many Bangkok inhabitants. Many elderly Thai people from Bangkok normally go there every day to enjoy each others company, having a talk and see the world go by. Not anymore, because it's a shit hole right now. The early sympathy Bangkok had for Suthep and his followers is long gone, because they now see clearly that Suthep doesn't give shit about Bangkok and its citizens.

no pain no gain as they say...anyway I thought they were moving back to Rajidomaen or however you spell it?

[HeavyDrinker]

It must be unbearable in a tent inn this heat. I can imagine there being environmental concerns in some people's undies....

[Basil B]

Just think of the environmental damage if it had been the red shirts...

As usual, they didn't clean anything

Edited May 2, 2014 by Basil B

[RogueLeader]

Haha.

'Bangkok' giving a fig about the ecosystem. Wake me when I've finished dreaming.

[geoman1976]

Heaven help the people in this forum. If you are not an environmental scientist, please keep your mouths shut about what is good and not good, acceptable and not acceptable. I am an environmental enginerr for the US gov't and the EU. I studied under some of the best environmental scientists in the world and this could end up as a very serious health and environmental problem for bkk and the people there. It is more serious than you think. interaction with the ground water which will also affect the water supply to your homes, trees are air purifiers and we need them healthy, micro organisms that can be deadly, rat infestistations, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention run off that inevitably ends up in the sea and in your food supply. The ignorance is astounding.

[nong2]

Haha.

'Bangkok' giving a fig about the ecosystem. Wake me when I've finished dreaming.

'Bangkok' is not a person. The Thai person who's responsible for the well-being of Lumpini-park probably does give a fig.

[geoman1976]

I would also suggest to start monitoring your tap water in your sinks and have the water quality tested, especially in promximity to the park. Don't even start to think your water lines are impervious to the contaminated ground water. You may be washing your dishes in feces at this point. Have the Thai gov't try aa dye test. This is a test where you release water with harmless dye in it and see where it pops up.

[chubby]

[h90]

Interesting, while the City- if not the entire country- goes down the drain, with hundreds of dead and injured people, as many guns, rifles and grenades on the streets that would fit a war zone, a non existing government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) calls for awareness for some fish in a pond. And these officials probably believe to have an eye for the essentials.

And don't forget the complete dead klongs. Some companies put in their chemical waste since decades and never was the BMA interested....

[Nepse]

Does anyone knows where we can have our tap water tested in BKK?

[Mudcrab]

Heaven help the people in this forum. If you are not an environmental scientist, please keep your mouths shut about what is good and not good, acceptable and not acceptable. I am an environmental enginerr for the US gov't and the EU. I studied under some of the best environmental scientists in the world and this could end up as a very serious health and environmental problem for bkk and the people there. It is more serious than you think. interaction with the ground water which will also affect the water supply to your homes, trees are air purifiers and we need them healthy, micro organisms that can be deadly, rat infestistations, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention run off that inevitably ends up in the sea and in your food supply. The ignorance is astounding.

Have you ever been to Bangkok?

[nong2]

Does anyone knows where we can have our tap water tested in BKK?

Yes, it's next to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

[nong2]

Does anyone knows where we can have our tap water tested in BKK?

Yes, it's next to the Ministry of Silly Walks.

[marko kok prong]

Read an article on Stickmans weekly blog, he took a walk through the park,he stated some areas were no go zones,and also that he saw none of the large lizards ,he was quite kind i thought in presuming they had been scared away,i think it more likely they have been eaten,also i must say that i am surprised the lake has not been fished out.

[Nepse]

Is the Ministry of Silly Walks your favorite place to walk?

[RogueLeader]

Haha.

'Bangkok' giving a fig about the ecosystem. Wake me when I've finished dreaming.

'Bangkok' is not a person. The Thai person who's responsible for the well-being of Lumpini-park probably does give a fig.

That's not what the article said though, is it?