Skywalk linking road outside CentralWorld to Platinum mall has opened
By Coconuts Bangkok


Photo: Pai Chanikarn/ Coconuts Media

BANGKOK -- The new skywalk, built over the crowded sidewalk of Ratchadamri Road outside CentralWorld shopping mall, opened yesterday to facilitate pedestrians who just want to walk — not shop for sunglasses or buy fried chicken on the street.

The new skywalk, called “Bangkok Skyline,” starts on Ratchadamri Road and stretches all the way to Novotel Bangkok Hotel and Platinum Shopping Mall. The skywalk was built because the roadside down below is currently overflowing with street vendors, causing heavy pedestrian congestion every night.

The congestion only gets worse once you have to squeeze through the tiny bridge above Saen Saeb canal, which is also occupied by hawkers and beggars.

Full Story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/07/14/skywalk-linking-road-outside-centralworld-platinum-mall-has-opened-photos


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-07-14

I love the hawkers and small shops by the side of the road. It is part of the charm of Bangkok, but in some places the footpaths are completely blocked by them.

The idea of skywalks around Bangkok is great. I often walk from Siam Square to Central World using the skywalk. Now I can continue to Platinum without having to fight to get through.

No doubt the motorbikes will find some way to get up on them!!!

I love the hawkers and small shops by the side of the road. It is part of the charm of Bangkok, but in some places the footpaths are completely blocked by them.

The idea of skywalks around Bangkok is great. I often walk from Siam Square to Central World using the skywalk. Now I can continue to Platinum without having to fight to get through.

I'm not sure if you love the street stalls or hate them. You like them enough to be glad a bridge has been built so you can avoid them.

Cant beat cherry picking the charms of Bangkok.

It would be nice if there were some way to get through the Siam BTS station without paying 15 Baht so that you could walk all the way from Chidlom to MBK.

I love the hawkers and small shops by the side of the road. It is part of the charm of Bangkok, but in some places the footpaths are completely blocked by them.

The idea of skywalks around Bangkok is great. I often walk from Siam Square to Central World using the skywalk. Now I can continue to Platinum without having to fight to get through.

I think the main reason for the bridge is because the klong bridge sidewalk can only accomodate two person side by side at most...but many times its overflow with people and many walk on the roads instead. I do hope they build a skywalk under the BTS on the entire sukhumvit road.

So next we will be seeing the sidewalk shops turn in to "Skywalk " shops soon.

I love the hawkers and small shops by the side of the road. It is part of the charm of Bangkok, but in some places the footpaths are completely blocked by them.

The idea of skywalks around Bangkok is great. I often walk from Siam Square to Central World using the skywalk. Now I can continue to Platinum without having to fight to get through.

I think the main reason for the bridge is because the klong bridge sidewalk can only accomodate two person side by side at most...but many times its overflow with people and many walk on the roads instead. I do hope they build a skywalk under the BTS on the entire sukhumvit road.

Yes this is because it's impossible to walk on the sidewalks dued by vendors/restaurants/annoying idiots.

Can't believe the Thai rather build a walkingbridge instead of telling those people to move right now.

When i'm shopping in Central World i like to go buy orangejuice from the vendors but they always try to cheat me. So i stopped buying from them.

...pretty idiotic name though....

...the best they could do bringing 2 dozen heads (or more ?) together.....

Problem:

Pedestrian traffic on this heavily traveled stretch is severely restricted due to the proliferation of vendors encroaching on the majority of the sidewalk.

Solution #1: Clear the sidewalk of all of the encroaching vendors, and return the public sidewalk to pedestrians.

Solution #2: Allow the encroaching vendors to completely take over the public sidewalk. Spend millions of taxpayer baht to build a skywalk above the sidewalk so that pedestrians that previously used the sidewalk can get from point A to point B unhindered by vendors.

... and which option was chosen????

Problem:

Pedestrian traffic on this heavily traveled stretch is severely restricted due to the proliferation of vendors encroaching on the majority of the sidewalk.

Solution #1: Clear the sidewalk of all of the encroaching vendors, and return the public sidewalk to pedestrians.

Solution #2: Allow the encroaching vendors to completely take over the public sidewalk. Spend millions of taxpayer baht to build a skywalk above the sidewalk so that pedestrians that previously used the sidewalk can get from point A to point B unhindered by vendors.

... and which option was chosen????

The positive thing is that since now most of the pedestrians will use the skywalk to avoid the vendors, those vendors will run out of customers and business soon, and clear up the sidewalk as well.

Problem:

Pedestrian traffic on this heavily traveled stretch is severely restricted due to the proliferation of vendors encroaching on the majority of the sidewalk.

Solution #1: Clear the sidewalk of all of the encroaching vendors, and return the public sidewalk to pedestrians.

Solution #2: Allow the encroaching vendors to completely take over the public sidewalk. Spend millions of taxpayer baht to build a skywalk above the sidewalk so that pedestrians that previously used the sidewalk can get from point A to point B unhindered by vendors.

... and which option was chosen????

The positive thing is that since now most of the pedestrians will use the skywalk to avoid the vendors, those vendors will run out of customers and business soon, and clear up the sidewalk as well.

Wishful thinking. They'll scrape along for decades rather than give up.

Does anyone have an approximate idea of how long it will take to walk from Siam BTS station to Platinum Mall using this new Skywalk?

Great, a nice safe walk now ☺

Problem:

Pedestrian traffic on this heavily traveled stretch is severely restricted due to the proliferation of vendors encroaching on the majority of the sidewalk.

Solution #1: Clear the sidewalk of all of the encroaching vendors, and return the public sidewalk to pedestrians.

Solution #2: Allow the encroaching vendors to completely take over the public sidewalk. Spend millions of taxpayer baht to build a skywalk above the sidewalk so that pedestrians that previously used the sidewalk can get from point A to point B unhindered by vendors.

... and which option was chosen????

The positive thing is that since now most of the pedestrians will use the skywalk to avoid the vendors, those vendors will run out of customers and business soon, and clear up the sidewalk as well.

Wishful thinking. They'll scrape along for decades rather than give up.

Does anyone have an approximate idea of how long it will take to walk from Siam BTS station to Platinum Mall using this new Skywalk?

I guess about 15 minutes.

Now that this pavement has become a legal place for vendors they will never disappear. Maybe the current one will move but for sure a new one will replace him/her very soon.

Perhaps the walkway was paid for by the businesses along the way or maybe just by Platinum Mall.

Was it not possible to build a bridge to connect those malls. A bridge over the klong straight into Platinum.