Public park becomes dog-friendly in Bangkok

Finding a green area to walk your furry friend in downtown Bangkok is difficult because pet dogs are not allowed in public parks. Thanks to a petition ran by dog-lovers and support from Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, Benjakitti Park in Asoke has become the first public park to open up its doors to dogs.

Despite several inner-city condominiums allowing pets, dog owners are forced to either walk their dogs on the street, travel out of town to find a pet-friendly park or fork out cash to take their pets to a designated dog park.

One year ago, a group of dog enthusiasts started a petition for Bangkok’s Benjakitti Park to welcome dogs in a designated area and create a closed-off space for off-leash fun, reported Coconuts.

On September 1, the recently expanded park opened a free, public dog park opposite the running track near Benjakitti’s eastern entrance on Ratchadapisek Road.

Karanvir Kukreja from animal welfare organisation Four Paws said he and others who signed the petition are “really stoked” at the good news. He hopes this inspires other places in Bangkok to go dog-friendly.

In 2017, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) confirmed its firm stance on the pet dog ban in public parks. The BMA said public parks are used by elderly people, children and people who don’t like dogs, so dog owners must take their pets to specified dog parks instead.

The BMA’s stance has since changed thanks to new Bangkok governor and canine advocate Chadchart Sittipunt. One of the 260 policies proposed by Chadchart when he took on the position of governor was to make public parks pet-friendly, according to his adviser Pornphrom Vikitsreth.

If you’re a dog owner looking for a place to live in Bangkok, read The Thaiger’s list of pet-friendly condos in Bangkok.

If you want to bring your dog on a trip to Bangkok, check out The Thaiger’s list of best pet-friendly hotels in Bangkok.

As well as Benjakitti’s new dog park, The Thaiger recommends taking your dog to these seven pet-friendly places in Bangkok.