November 28, 2022
BANGKOK – More than 100 small parks will spring up across Bangkok over the next three years, City Hall revealed at a meeting on Friday.
The meeting reported progress on Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s plan to develop “15 Minute Pocket Parks” to ensure easy access to greenery for all residents.
It reported that surveys by Bangkok’s Environmental Department and district offices had found 101 sites for the new 15 Minute Pocket Parks.
The sites total 649 rai or about 104 hectares – twice the size of Lumpini Park.
Forty-one of the sites belong to City Hall, 34 to government or state enterprises, and 26 are privately owned.
Fifty-one will be turned into pocket parks this year, followed by 24 in 2023, 20 in 2024, and six in 2025.
Guidelines for the design of the parks will be distributed to district offices.
Friday’s meeting was chaired by deputy governor Chakkaphan Phewngam and included representatives from environmental groups.
It also proposed four subcommittees featuring members from environmental partner networks to oversee work on Bangkok’s greening policy.
The subcommittees will guide the policies to plant one million trees, to develop the 15 Minute Pocket Parks, to organise professional arborists to take care of trees in each district, and to promote the use of green areas.