Greening Bangkok: 100,000 new trees for the city costing 30 million baht

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is planning to spend 30 million baht in planting 100,000 trees this year to increase Bangkok’s green space.

The first batch of 50,000 trees requiring 5 million baht would be planted at public parks and state offices. The second batch of 50,000 trees requiring 25 million baht would be planted by 50 district offices on land plots of private organisations, temples, schools, and along the Bang Khun Thien coast.

BMA deputy permanent secretary Wiparat Chaiyanukij says the project – now submitted for the governor’s approval – will be divided into two batches.

Currently, Bangkok City has 20,000 rai (3,200 hectares) of green space in the form of public parks and gardens, a ratio of 6.2 square metres per head, below the World Health Organisation’s standard of 9 square metres per head.

The BMA has been implementing three solutions to boost green space, including finding empty lands under its care to be turned into space for public use, increasing the number of parks beyond the current 35 public parks, and encouraging the private sector to add greenery to their properties and to support the BMA’s attempts to increase green space in general.

SOURCE: The Nation