City staff are reported to be working hard on landscape improvements, including the planting of large trees, in an area to be named “Charoen Prates Park” when the renovations are complete. The new park will be opened for public use on July 28^th.

Charoen Prates Park is the latest green zone in the city center and contains over 29 plant species and various natural habitats for birds and other wildlife. It is also surrounded by businesses which are important to the city’s economy, such as hotels and large and small shops.

Local people opposed the Department of Treasury’s plan to launch a “Baan Thanarak Pracharat” 900-unit housing development project in the area in 2016. They successfully convinced the authorities that, if built, the development would result in traffic chaos. The department accordingly scrapped its plan and turned the area to good use for the local community and the public in general.

The people of Chiang Mai helped to raise more than Bt500,000 of initial funding in just four days for preparation of the landscape development proposal. The government provided an additional 14 million baht to improve the area.