As global sustainability efforts accelerate, Bangkok is redefining its environmental strategy under governor Chadchart Sittipunt. Transitioning from the Green Bangkok 2030 initiative, which was initially spearheaded by his predecessors, the governor is now focusing on a bolder environmental agenda.
Mr Chadchart aims to create a "15-minute city" with accessible green spaces, by adding 130 parks and doubling the tree-planting goal to two million by 2026 after Bangkok met the original target of one million trees in two years.
"The first thing he did when he came into office was he went to a park and planted the first tree," Pornphrom Vikitsreth, the BMA's chief of sustainability and adviser to the governor, said.
Thailand faces significant environmental challenges, including deforestation, a sharp decline in biodiversity, and increased soil erosion.
Urban areas struggle with severe air pollution from traffic congestion and industrial emissions, posing serious health risks to residents. The country's waste management system is also strained, with rising plastic waste exacerbating pollution in land and water ecosystems.
With a population of 10 million and one of the smallest per capita green spaces in Asia, Bangkok faces the challenge of being perceived as overcrowded. To enhance its appeal to expatriates and compete with neighbouring cities like Singapore, expanding and improving green spaces is crucial for making the city more livable.
Transitioning from the Green Bangkok 2030 initiative aligned with the Paris Agreement's emission goals, the Bangkok governor is now prioritising the "15-minute park" concept by creating pocket parks in underserved areas to ensure equitable green space access for all residents.
"Parks are a smaller investment with big gains," Mr Pornphrom said.
The "15-minute city" concept aims to ensure that residents can walk to essential amenities like schools, malls, restaurants, and green spaces within 15 minutes. In Bangkok, parks are the top priority.
Instead of creating one or two large parks per year as before, the city is now prioritising smaller pocket parks to support more equitable access.
Mr Pornphrom said selecting a new park location involves a detailed process:
Analyse the Need: They first conduct a thorough analysis to determine if a new park is needed, with emphasis on densely populated areas near community centres.
Engage the Community: After identifying a potential site, they set up a circle of chairs on the land and invite residents to discuss their needs, asking them, "What do you want?"
Design Based on Input: Based on community feedback, they tailor the park's design to include features such as playgrounds, trails, outdoor gyms, or benches, ensuring the space meets local needs.
"We want to get them to come and be a part of the process from the beginning," he said. "And then once the park is open, they feel like they are the owner."
The work does not stop after the park opens. To maintain it, the park requires regular users to help with upkeep and security. Mr Pornphrom hopes locals will see these parks as extensions of their own backyards.
"We have to be more inventive when we don't have the land," he said.
Finding space for pocket parks in a city densely packed with condominiums has been challenging, Mr Pornphrom said.
Reimagining areas under expressways, converting concrete spaces into greenery, repurposing portions of parking lots, and partnering with local schools to open their grounds to the public after hours have been solutions.
Trees and green spaces are crucial for physical and mental health, enhancing air quality, aiding in carbon sequestration and drainage, providing shade from heat, and, most importantly, making cities more livable for everyone, Mr Pornphrom said.
Ensuring the survival of trees has been supported by a new policy to introduce 50 arborists to the city.
These specialists, known as tree doctors, focus on assessing and maintaining the overall health of trees rather than performing routine maintenance.
In 2022, the city had only one such arborist, but the current administration has increased this number to 15, with ongoing training and certification efforts to expand the team further.
Mr Pornphrom said ensuring that they do these parks well, they have also implemented quality checkers to assess the vitality of the space.
"People are very happy they voted for the new governor," he said. "They feel more free."
