Bangkok governor to open more parks, bicycle lanes

[webfact]

Bangkok governor to open more parks, bicycle lanes
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 1 -- After presiding over an alms-giving event for Buddhist monks on New Year's morning, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he plans large new public parks, more bicycle lanes and expanded mass transit as New Year gifts for the public.

Mr Sukhumbhand said that the work of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) in the past year had been obstructed by many factors including political turmoil.

This morning, the governor led senior BMA officials and representatives of the government, private sector and the public to give alms to 189 Buddhist monks.

Participants also worshipped the Phra Buddha Navaratchabophit Buddha image, built at the initiative of His Majesty the King, and prayed for good fortune.

The municipal authorities moved the Buddha image to Sanam Luang ground on Tuesday through New Year's Day for public worship.

The Buddha image is normally kept at the City Hall.

Mr Sukhumbhand said that he wished people in the country to be happy and enjoy New Year holidays while taking good care of themselves and people around them. He promised to work at his best this year. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2015-01-01

[oldsailor35]

Good idea as they need more parking spots for cars, more footpaths for motorcycle taxis, and more sites for food stalls etc.

[jpeg]

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he plans large new public parks, more bicycle lanes and expanded mass transit as New Year gifts for the public.

Firstly, how many times has this been reported as 'news', and when, exactly are these 'plans' to be put into effect?

Secondly, what is it with these 'gifts'??? Surely any new infrastructure/amenaties are the right of the populace, not something given personally by the people currently holding the purse strings. And that goes for His Happiness.

[berybert]

My Christmas gift, a pavement I can walk down.

Edited January 1, 2015 by berybert

[NongKhaiKid]

This shameless ' gift ' nonsense is spreading and is a sad reflection of how those in authority think and treat people.

" Let's call everything a gift and the people will love us ! "

After this holiday season is over what will infrastructure projects be tarted up as or does everything go on hold until April so they become Songkran gifts ?

[realenglish1]

So sad that they think its a gift This is Thai taxes at work Not a gift. I hope Thais realize this .

Infrastructure is a responsibility of the Government not a gift giving ceremony. Thais should

thank themselves not someone in Government.

[captspectre]

Good idea as they need more parking spots for cars, more footpaths for motorcycle taxis, and more sites for food stalls etc.

AND they need less cars!

[razer]

Yadda ... Yadda ... Yadda

[stoli]

I hope this desire to add parks moves south to Pattaya. When I travel to Vietnam, either Saigon or Hanoi, I enjoy all of the numerous parks throughout these cities. The vendors are not allowed to operate within the parks. Beautiful flowers covering the parks, volleyball and badminton are everywhere, as well as yoga and other exercise classes for anyone to join into.. I would love to see parks like this in Pattaya. The older citizens deserve to have something like this to go to, as well as its visitors. It would also be 10 degrees cooler within the parks without the concrete jungle to keep the heat within.

[mercman24]

they want to spend money on the pavements where people walk (or try to) when not dodging motorbikes and food sellers, Bangkok pavements are in a disgusting state.

[BKKdreaming]

make seperate bike paths like Holland , do not take a driving lane out of service for just a few bikes,

this is what they are doing in California , taking away a lane and it just adds to the problem

[stoli]

make seperate bike paths like Holland , do not take a driving lane out of service for just a few bikes,

this is what they are doing in California , taking away a lane and it just adds to the problem

Colorado knows how to add a bicycle lane without taking away a car lane also. California wants to eliminate car lanes. The crazies are in charge.

[thhMan]

A bicycle lane is just another Motorcycle lane or.. "squeeze past" car lane...

Walkways are just another host for the "fleabag" vendors to use....

I finally understand why the education system is the way it is... So people cannot discern the difference between Tax Paid and a Gift....

[Benmart]

A nice gesture for sure. I wish them good luck in making it happen. I know this is about Bangkok, however, some green spaces in Pattaya would be appreciated. Not everyone that lives or visits this town is into the bar scene.

Those that choose the bar and " nightlife"lifestyle are certainly free to do so, but a few parks would be a nice addition.

[Alwyn]

This shameless ' gift ' nonsense is spreading and is a sad reflection of how those in authority think and treat people.

" Let's call everything a gift and the people will love us ! "

After this holiday season is over what will infrastructure projects be tarted up as or does everything go on hold until April so they become Songkran gifts ?

Spot on, it's like the lonely kid in school trying to buy friends with sweets etc

[Malthus101]

You mean motorcycle taxi lanes?

[mok199]

thai stupity at its finest...they are so far behind.they think they are coming in first...

[wilcopops]

Time and Space..... It seems rather a patronising New Year stunt.....Where does the governor think he's going to put these parks? And does he seriously think he's going to be in power long enough to achieve any of this?

I think in many other countries a pronouncement like this would have him laughed out of office.

Edited January 2, 2015 by wilcopops

[LawrenceN]

Good idea as they need more parking spots for cars, more footpaths for motorcycle taxis, and more sites for food stalls etc.

Spot on. I'm a cyclist (not in bkk). I have said here before that the thing that would help cyclists the most would be more off-street parking for cars. Given that there will be no maintenance of the bike paths and no parking enforcement, I won't use them for bike-riding anyway.

[nycjoe]

On Sukumvit a few years ago they painted a bicycle path on the sidewalk. Hard to peddle between the shops and street stalls.

[wilcopops]

I hope this desire to add parks moves south to Pattaya. When I travel to Vietnam, either Saigon or Hanoi, I enjoy all of the numerous parks throughout these cities. The vendors are not allowed to operate within the parks. Beautiful flowers covering the parks, volleyball and badminton are everywhere, as well as yoga and other exercise classes for anyone to join into.. I would love to see parks like this in Pattaya. The older citizens deserve to have something like this to go to, as well as its visitors. It would also be 10 degrees cooler within the parks without the concrete jungle to keep the heat within. Ho Chi Minh City with Ryan 070.JPG

If you look at poarks in cities, they virtuyallyball come into existence as the city grows..not after. With Thailand's unregulated development normal urban infrastructure - including parks - has been ignored.

Sadly 10 years ago Pattaya had a lot of undeveloped land in the centre of town that could have been sequestrated as parkland. I fear now that opportunity has been missed. The case for Bangkok is the same.

My g/f on her first visit to London was totally gobsmacked by the amount of green spaces in the city, both large and small and continued to be amazed by all the other towns and cities she visited. No similar thought in Thailand has EVER been given to parks it public spaces; it reflects the attitude of successive governments to thenpoeoplke they rule (I.e not serve).

[wilcopops]

People in Bangkok (and Thailand) would be SO LUCKY if they could have this sort of debate, instead of blithe promises and platitudes from a patronising elite......

http://dogsincoventry.org.uk

[jpeg]

A nice gesture for sure. I wish them good luck in making it happen. I know this is about Bangkok, however, some green spaces in Pattaya would be appreciated. Not everyone that lives or visits this town is into the bar scene.

Those that choose the bar and " nightlife"lifestyle are certainly free to do so, but a few parks would be a nice addition.

Name just ONE new park , opened under any maladministration of any stripe here. The overwhelming majority of Thais think ONLY of money. One man's breathing space is another greedy b4st4rds condo.

This incessant cr4p from the junta proves NOTHING they say can be believed either. Fairy stories for their children.

[alantheembalmer]

"...........Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said he plans large new public parks.............."

Maybe it would be better if the BMA looked into micro parks. They could be small recreational areas, about 1 kilometre apart, so that all Bangkok residents are no more than 500 metres away from a place where there would be exercise machines, and a green area with benches, where they could gather with their friends. A couple of large parks aren't much good to the majority of the people who live too far away from them to enjoy the facilities on a regular basis.