Experts plan urban forests to sustain Thai cities

[webfact]

Experts plan urban forests to sustain Thai cities
By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation 

 

 

BANGKOK: -- EVERYBODY can help create and manage urban forests that will boost the quality of life for city dwellers, academics from the URBAN Forest project said recently.

 

The initiative to increase well-managed forested areas in cities was proposed by a team of academics in a move to secure a better environment and livelihood of people in the city. They explained that forested land would not be in conflict with developed areas, and hoped that people would fall more in love with nature. 

The project is supported by the Thailand Development Fund.

A leading member of the team, Prof Pracha Koonnathamdee from the Faculty of Economics at Thammasat University, said the term “urban forest” was new and unfamiliar to most people, as it was very different from the traditional definition of forest. 

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30301490

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-12-06

[trogers]

I can see them now...isolated stumps of green sprouting out of concrete on the 5,8,12th floors etc...

[PatOngo]

Bangkok is already an urban jungle!

[exalll]

Lots of employment potential - imagine all those branches that will need to be cut off every year to avoid them ever starting to look like trees

[northernboy]

Lets all hope, that in reality, it would be possible to get the community support for such a needed program in all of Thailand cities.
It certainly would be a great asset to the people and air quality if done well. 

Yes it would take a more tree-friendly approach than I have ever seen here in Thailand, so much education would be needed with city staff and citizens alike. 

[thai3]

These places are called parks in the civilized part of the world

[jaltsc]

 "EVERYBODY can help create and manage urban forests that will boost the quality of life for city dwellers..."

 

Doesn't that conflict with the governments new exercise plan? Now, they won't have to walk up the hills to burn the forest floor. They will be able to do it behind their houses. 

 

Let's get ready to hear the government's new 5 - Year Plan to eliminate urban smoke.

Edited December 6, 2016 by jaltsc

[fruitman]

We already have a forest of wire-tree's in BKK, every street has them and even the tourists come to film them.

[waldroj]

"...The challenge is to manage the area sustainably..."

 

 

Problem solved !!! Next challenge...

[otherstuff1957]

If they ever do start some of these 'urban forests' they will be cut down and replaced with another mall or condo before they are half grown! 

[DrTuner]

Managed .. nope, that ain't happening.

[williamgeorgeallen]

1 hour ago, thai3 said:

These places are called parks in the civilized part of the world

in my home town in nz there is a park on roughly every second block. in pattaya i have to take my kids to a play center in one of the big malls. i wonder if there were ever designated green parks in pattaya or other tourist towns. i understand that thais dont generally like being out doors in the sun but surely a park here and there would be good for tourism. cant charge them to walk on the grass?  well i suppose thats true.

[maewang99]

very professional.  always.  and they manage to keep Thailand uniquely positioned while having time for this kind of stuff too.  impressive indeed.    
 

Edited December 6, 2016 by maewang99

[fruitman]

8 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

in my home town in nz there is a park on roughly every second block. in pattaya i have to take my kids to a play center in one of the big malls. i wonder if there were ever designated green parks in pattaya or other tourist towns. i understand that thais dont generally like being out doors in the sun but surely a park here and there would be good for tourism. cant charge them to walk on the grass?  well i suppose thats true.

 

Go to nong nooch park, it's great.

[williamgeorgeallen]

5 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

Go to nong nooch park, it's great.

went down with my son last year. is a great place but not really where you go to throw a frisby around. fair way out as well. better to walk to and from the park if possible.

[trogers]

1 minute ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

went down with my son last year. is a great place but not really where you go to throw a frisby around. fair way out as well. better to walk to and from the park if possible.

 

Whatever park in your imagination, superimpose a market of vendors on the green...that's what you will end up with...TiT

[bkkcanuck8]

14 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

in my home town in nz there is a park on roughly every second block. in pattaya i have to take my kids to a play center in one of the big malls. i wonder if there were ever designated green parks in pattaya or other tourist towns. i understand that thais dont generally like being out doors in the sun but surely a park here and there would be good for tourism. cant charge them to walk on the grass?  well i suppose thats true.

 

They should focus on re-acquiring land and creating designated green areas in Bangkok.  Hanoi has lots of green area and is quite livable (sans regime of course).  Moving forward, it would be nice if electric or clean vehicles were given a priority in the city - basically moving the energy production elsewhere (get rid of traffic ozone problems) along with a fully developed public transportation system.  It is really just on the cusp of being practical.  

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the term “urban forest” was new and unfamiliar to most people

Maybe to Thai people but not to the rest of the world.

See the Milan skyscrapers Bosco Verticale - 256-foot and 344-foot towers covered from head to toe in more than 700 trees and 90 species of plants. http://www.businessinsider.com/tree-covered-skyscraper-best-tall-building-2015-10

[Enoon]

 

The first part of the plan is to destroy all the natural forest to create more urban areas.

 

Then they can really get to work.

[mike324]

the city does have trees, but needs to be cut every month once it hits the power lines.....

[Eric Loh]

The term "urban forest" may be unfamiliar but really borrowed from the term "garden city". Anyway, it is still a noble effort if the implementation of the projects succeed.

[jerojero]

Urban forest? Where are they going to find areas and soil.... So much of Bangkok is paved over.

[fruitman]

We just fly to Singapore and visit the Gardens at the Bay....they have a great lightshow at dawn for free right under those fake-treethings.

 

Also there's a great flowershow and much more, easy to go by subway as well and great foodcourts under the malls.

 

BKK has filthy sidewalks full of unmannered streetvendor, to each his own....there has to be a difference krab.

[Steiner]

The 1st one is already underway...

[fruitman]

 

Build a big park where tourists can walk under the shaded canopy of the jade vines and loads of tourists will flock to see it.

 

Buy an icecream/cold drink and sit down on a nice teakwood bench to enjoy the view...

 

Welcome to Thailand.

[elgordo38]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The project is supported by the Thailand Development Fund.

Morally or financially?? It takes a long time for a tree to grow and the germination of an idea even longer here. 

[Emster23]

My hometown of Portland Oregon liked to brag when I was growing up that we had the most parks acreage in a somewhat major US city when I was growing up. Moving to Bangkok was one of those OMG experiences. If you can't make money off it, it ain't gonna happen here. Nong Nooch was contractor in Jomtien for destruction of old growth trees that stabilized the beach and provided shade, besides shoddy workmanship already crumbling, giant gullies at ill planned stairs. Care for environment, providing parks just not part of Thai mindset imo

[mcfish]

My observations are thais are good at cutting down trees, but not growing them

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