New park opens in central Bangkok
Bangkok opened a new public park this week – part of a pilot project to rejuvenate derelict urban spaces in one of Asia’s least green concrete jungles.
The Wat Hua Lamphong Rukkhaniwet Park stands on 2 rai (3,200 square metres) of unused land behind Rama IV Road in Bang Rak district (MRT: Sam Yan).
The park was set up under the crowdfunded We!Park project with support from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth).
The We!Park project aims to develop pocket parks throughout the city to offer stressed-out citizens relief from the dense urban environment.
Bangkok has one of the lowest ratios of public green space among big cities in Asia, with just 3.3 square metres per person, according to the Siemens Green City Index. That compares with 66 square metres per person in Singapore – Asia’s greenest city.
The Thai capital’s Green Bangkok 2030 scheme aims to increase public green space to 10 square metres per person over the next decade.
Plots for the pocket parks were donated after the new land tax rate, effective since 2020, imposed a rate of up to 3 per cent on unused plots.
Wat Hua Lamphong Rukkhaniwet Park has been designed with a “garden next door” concept. The multi-use area is divided into playgrounds, running paths, outdoor gym and a vegetable garden. The park is open every day from 5am to 8pm.
