The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to open more “15- minute” parks this year to provide city residents with nearby recreational spaces.
According to Pornphrom Vikitsreth, an advisor to the Bangkok governor, the “15-minute” park project is an answer to the shortage of big parks in the city and provides green areas which are a short walking distance from communities, so people can use them for recreation or to take their pets (where pets are not banned).
Pornphrom said yesterday (Monday) that the BMA has already acquired 107 plots of land, which can be transformed into public parks and which are within a 15-minute walk from surrounding communities.
Of the 107 plots, 42 belong to the city administration, 27 belong to private individuals and the rest are owned by the State Railway of Thailand and Expressway Authority of Thailand. The combined area of the 107 plots is 105.4 hectares.
Pornphrom said that 13 of the plots have already been turned into public parks, but the BMA wants to build at least 30 parks each year in Bangkok, with a 30 million baht budget allocated annually for this project, adding that smaller parks will be more accessible and convenient for city residents, unlike larger parks which may be too far away.
