Revamp for Bangkok's Ratchaprasong

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Revamp for Ratchaprasong
Thanapat Kitjakosol
The Nation


An artist

BANGKOK: -- The Ratchaprasong shopping district will become a model of public space development offering convenient access to all people, especially seniors and the handicapped.

The "Siyaek Jaidee" project for the 220-metre Chid Lom-Ratchapra-song strip will be proposed to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administra-tion by the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, Thai Health Promotion Foundation and others.

Pol Lt-Colonel Bundit Pradab-sook, vice president of the Associa-tion of Siamese Architects, said yesterday that most intersections and footpaths were not in a good condition. Some footpaths were narrower than the 1.5-metre standard, were not wheelchair accessible, had an uneven surface or were blocked by phone booths or stalls.

The project could be implemented by the end of next year, just in time for the Asean Economic Community, and would be in line with the public policy to improve access for the disabled, elderly, children and pregnant women, he added.

Kotchakorn Vora-akom, the project's landscape architect, said streets, reflecting the city's image, should be "green", provide access to all and be full of the city's stories.

The project hopes to promote a "design for all" concept in the related professions' teaching process and a standard for public building designs and transportation systems to cater to people's needs and garner their support, she said.

The "universal design" process would take five steps:

l Removing objects such as broken booths, unnecessary or blocking structures;

l Allocating 1.5-metre-wide space of the 4m-wide space for walking;

l Adjusting footpath ramps to be lower and less steep;

l Putting up horizontal and vertical plants to provide cover and functionality;

l Adjusting stalls to be in line with the city's atmosphere.

Sirikiat Liangkobkij, director of ThaiHealth's Health Risk Control Office, said more than half of the population live in cities, so it is important to support urbanisation and people, especially the disabled, elderly and children. "From our survey, most pedestrians and vendors back the plan," he said.

It is time to do this project after people had been violating public space regulations for far too long.

Prapaporn Channuan, head of the Land Readjustment and Urban Renewal Division of the BMA City Planning Department, said senior citizens were expected to account for a quarter of society in 20 years, so there will be lots of elderly people. The project would come in handy as a proactive measure for them.

After city executives decide on the project, agencies would then begin implementing it, which could involve a working panel of the private sector and landlords for the area's sustainable management and maintenance.

Pol Lt-Colonel Pisanu Prasartthong-osot from the Ratchaprasong Community said the project would enhance equality and set an example for safe, convenient streets, so the community was willing to back it and participate in it.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Revamp-for-Ratchaprasong-30240804.html

[thenation]2014-08-13[/thenation]

[terryp]

so all the side-walk vendors are going to be moved then?

[ChrisY1]

so all the side-walk vendors are going to be moved then?

 

To me it sounds like of the 4m footpath....1.5m will be dedicated to foot traffic.."allocating 1.5m of the 4m space for walking"

Street vendors get the big bit.:)).....makes sense really....so then the local "payment protection plan" can keep functioning

[sawati]

How about the path for the motosais!!There is none? Dont worry...they are going to make one by themselves...never fails!

[NongKhaiKid]

so all the side-walk vendors are going to be moved then?

Too radical !

[noitom]

Narrower than "the standard." Should be "full of the city's stories." These comments and quotes are preposterous nonsense. Thais with titles a line long talking about standards and concern for the elderly and disabled.

[h90]

 

so all the side-walk vendors are going to be moved then?

 

To me it sounds like of the 4m footpath....1.5m will be dedicated to foot traffic.."allocating 1.5m of the 4m space for walking"

Street vendors get the big bit.).....makes sense really....so then the local "payment protection plan" can keep functioning

 

 

that will mean 5m for the vendors and 0.5 for walking

[Zeegator]

so all the side-walk vendors are going to be moved then?

 

"Adjusting stalls to be in line with the city's atmosphere."
 

I think the report answers your question about vendor's stalls if you took the time to read it.

[AyG]

1.5 metre strip for walking. However, part of that will be taken up by people browsing the vendors' stalls. Part of it will be difficult to walk on because of the textured strip for the blind. Certainly not adequate for two wheelchairs to pass going in opposite directions.

[IAMSOBAD]

What about all the morons on their phones texting and stopping and making walking u-turns for no reason? There goes that plan.

[MrJohnson]

Could we do the same along lower Sukhumvit please............... and around Siam Square, oh and how about Asoke-Sukhumvit Junction and Silom and .........get rid of the street vendors. They are an aggressive  nuisance all over town. This has to be one of the least pedestrian-friendly cities in the world - well maybe Jakarta is a little worse, but the sidewalks are at best a steeplchase and at worst like being in a game of motorcycle dodgems. Reclaim the sidewalks!

[ginjag]

"Does it include hovering wheelchairs?"

"DrLom, don't forget the levitating blind."

 

Amazing that  posters DrLom and HarySeaman can find humour in other's disabilities

 

But I doubt for 1 minute it was personal, or ridiculing a disability,  just the pics/images how this was concocted that is the humour.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Talk is talk... Actually accomplishing something in terms of physical access -- and getting it to stick -- is an entirely different matter here.

 

Unfortunately, based on past experience, this proposal is unlikely to ever become anything real or productive. I wish it were otherwise.

 

[metisdead]

Nonsense trolling posts and replies have been removed.

[Prbkk]

Could we do the same along lower Sukhumvit please............... and around Siam Square, oh and how about Asoke-Sukhumvit Junction and Silom and .........get rid of the street vendors. They are an aggressive  nuisance all over town. This has to be one of the least pedestrian-friendly cities in the world - well maybe Jakarta is a little worse, but the sidewalks are at best a steeplchase and at worst like being in a game of motorcycle dodgems. Reclaim the sidewalks!

Yes. and in Soi 11. Getting to Au Bon Pain is a major pain au butt.

[Cuchulainn]

Yes, it should be razed to the ground and rebuilt.

 

Oh wait! Your mates tried that in 2010.

[khunken]

 

Could we do the same along lower Sukhumvit please............... and around Siam Square, oh and how about Asoke-Sukhumvit Junction and Silom and .........get rid of the street vendors. They are an aggressive  nuisance all over town. This has to be one of the least pedestrian-friendly cities in the world - well maybe Jakarta is a little worse, but the sidewalks are at best a steeplchase and at worst like being in a game of motorcycle dodgems. Reclaim the sidewalks!

Yes. and in Soi 11. Getting to Au Bon Pain is a major pain au butt.

 

 

Dans le derriere.

 

Don't agree with getting rid of all the vendors as it only takes a bit of work from those who receive the 'rental' to ensure that just one row of vendors does allow space for pedestrians.

 

It's the same on the opposite side to Central at Rachaprasong - total anarchy on the pavement with no supervision. As an inveterate walker who appreciates food vendors, it's a balance that seems to have escaped the 'upholders of the law' here. Greed is the winner.
 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

 

 

"vice president of the Associa-tion of Siamese Architects, said yesterday that most intersections and footpaths were not in a good condition."

Would say that you can say that for most of this country, have not seen many nice footpaths in Thailand during the last 30 years and been to almost every province.

[Pib]

The "Siyaek Jaidee" project for the 220-metre Chid Lom-Ratchapra-song strip will be proposed to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administra-tion by the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, Thai Health Promotion Foundation and others.

 

 

Notice the phrase "....will be proposed...."    A proposal is nothing more than a recommendation until approved and funded.  I wouldn't be holding my breath on this project being adopted and/or completion as proposed anytime soon or maybe even the next few decades. 

 

[ginjag]

 

 

 

"vice president of the Associa-tion of Siamese Architects, said yesterday that most intersections and footpaths were not in a good condition."

Would say that you can say that for most of this country, have not seen many nice footpaths in Thailand during the last 30 years and been to almost every province.

 

 

Cheap foundations--how many times have you seen workers laying those design bricks on sand.   1 month they sink and undulate and come up, and to cap it al the nuts  dig a hole dead in the middle of the path and plant a line of trees, dodging these in a stooped walk.

 

Cheapjack mafia contracts, useless foreman, lazy workers.

[ginjag]

Slow to respond when requested reply, then pressed reply again---double post.

 

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

 

 

 

 

"vice president of the Associa-tion of Siamese Architects, said yesterday that most intersections and footpaths were not in a good condition."

Would say that you can say that for most of this country, have not seen many nice footpaths in Thailand during the last 30 years and been to almost every province.

 

 

Cheap foundations--how many times have you seen workers laying those design bricks on sand.   1 month they sink and undulate and come up, and to cap it al the nuts  dig a hole dead in the middle of the path and plant a line of trees, dodging these in a stooped walk.

 

Cheapjack mafia contracts, useless foreman, lazy workers.

 

And just imagine if you are in a wheelchair, you would think that Buddhists were more caring for handicapped and disabled people, how many handicapped friendly footpaths have you seen in Thailand? myself I have not seen any, most are 25-30 cm over the road level and often electric poles in the middle of the foorpath makes it impossible to pass in a wheelchair without going down on the road itself..

[ginjag]

 

 

 

 

 

"vice president of the Associa-tion of Siamese Architects, said yesterday that most intersections and footpaths were not in a good condition."

Would say that you can say that for most of this country, have not seen many nice footpaths in Thailand during the last 30 years and been to almost every province.

 

 

Cheap foundations--how many times have you seen workers laying those design bricks on sand.   1 month they sink and undulate and come up, and to cap it al the nuts  dig a hole dead in the middle of the path and plant a line of trees, dodging these in a stooped walk.

 

Cheapjack mafia contracts, useless foreman, lazy workers.

 

And just imagine if you are in a wheelchair, you would think that Buddhists were more caring for handicapped and disabled people, how many handicapped friendly footpaths have you seen in Thailand? myself I have not seen any, most are 25-30 cm over the road level and often electric poles in the middle of the foorpath makes it impossible to pass in a wheelchair without going down on the road itself..

 

 

If they make the path to last, look at the paved European roads and paths that were laid 200 years ago.

Compare Pattaya beach road shop side the worst path in Thailand.  The actual beach walk cost what---???  and now rubbish, they have tees planted in the walkway to dodge round.

Able bodied people have problems.  Wheelchair persons, if you can have one for starters---Hotels are geared --some private transport have facilities---try going for a wheal - shopping- no hope for handicapped on holiday in BKK/Pattaya/Thailand.

[DogNo1]

Does anybody know how often the sidewalk tiles from the corner where the shrine to Brahma is located and running down Ratchadamri along the front of the Grand Hyatt-Erawan are replaced? It must be several times a year. I wonder why they can't find some more durable sidewalk material?

[MrJohnson]

Does anybody know how often the sidewalk tiles from the corner where the shrine to Brahma is located and running down Ratchadamri along the front of the Grand Hyatt-Erawan are replaced? It must be several times a year. I wonder why they can't find some more durable sidewalk material?

I think must be some kind of job creation program or perhaps more likely, a nice little procurement scam for someone at the BMA. As the wet season usually coincides with paving season we should see quite a bit of it going on around town in the near future. Don't forget your wellingtons.