A new pocket park in Bangkok's Bang Rak district was officially opened on Wednesday, as part of a city project to turn abandoned urban spaces into sustainable green areas.
Wat Hua Lamphong Rukkhaniwet Park, in Soi Wat Hua Lamphong, is a pilot project under the Green Bangkok 2030 scheme. The 1,052-square metre site was donated by ML Dhisana Sritavaj, a board member of Haad Thip Public Co Ltd, to turn it into a pocket park for local communities.
The park, open from 5am to 8pm, features activities and relaxing zones with a playground, running tracks and exercise machines.
A vegetable garden is also located at the park which can be an alternative source of agricultural knowledge for communities.
Work on the park was carried out by City Hall's Environment Department, We Park group, Shma Soen Co Ltd, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, Thai Association of Landscape Architects and local firms.
City Clerk Silapasuai Rawisaengsun said the Green Bangkok 2030 scheme has set a target of increasing green space for the city's population to 10 square metres per person by 2030 and adding to the city's green space by 30%.
The scheme began in 2019 when green space amounted to the equivalent of 7 square metres per person, Ms Silapasuai said.
She said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has been looking at abandoned plots of land to turn them into new public parks.
It found there are many such sites across the city which covers an area of more than 1,500 square kilometres.
Ms Silapasuai also urged landowners who might be interested in helping improve the city's landscape to contact the BMA's Environment Office to discuss the prospect of donating unused land.