New Rattanakosin Island park

[GWR]

New park promises a breath of fresh air for Bangkokians

BANGKOK, Nov 27 (TNA) – Bangkok residents will soon have a new green space, a corridor of vegetation along the Chao Phraya riverfront in the capital's central historic area.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has spent Bt44 million to create the new multi-purpose open space to provide fresh air and reduce pollution in the area.

The green space preserve covers a land area of 1.5 acres in Tha Tian, on Rattanakosin Island, Bangkok's oldest area where most historical attractions of the early Bangkok era are located.

The BMA expects the new park which, which will open for the public in September 2008, will also create an appealing and beautiful landscape in Bangkok's ancient city centre. (TNA)-E110

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=1528

[Jromerz]

I think this must be the same park referred to on the home page, 12 January 2010:

New riverside park - January 12, 2009
There's a new riverside park under construction at Tha Tien pier (Google Earth Placemark). Anyone know any more details about this?

Seems to match up with my personal observations. Was working in the Tha Tien area around 2 years ago, watching the daily progress as some of the older shophouses were destroyed. After it was cleared the plot lay vacant for almost a year with no additional developments. Locals in the adjacent market said that a park was going to be built so that there could be a clearer view of the Grand Palace from the river, mainly for tourists and their photo ops. On New Year's day I passed by the area again and it looked as though work had moved along to make it look more like a park.

Follows the pattern of Rattanakosin island development which aims to clear some older buildings deemed "ugly", despite the possibility that there may still be an old community there or the buildings themselves have historic value (eg. Mahakan Fort community vs BMA park proposal). With proper management it is possible to have tourism proposals which work alongside local communities, with mutual benefits for all parties/stakeholders involved. It might be correct to assume that the majority of visitors taking tours of the city would prefer to visit a "living" destination....

[Wisarut]

Another Dying community at nang Loeng sincve the owner of land (Crown Properties Bureau) have raised the rent to the point that they have to move - and worse some of the old buildings has been razed or torched
http://www.thaipost.net/tabloid/030313/70333