Bangkok City Hall is making improvements to the footpaths along Rama 1 Rd. and beautifying the cityscape in the downtown area on the occasion of Thailand’s reopening to international tourists. City authorities are aiming to complete the improvements in March next year, after which improvement works will shift to other areas of Bangkok.
Bangkok Governor Pol. Gen. Aswin Kwanmuang inspected the progress of the project to improve the aesthetics of the stretch of Rama 1 Rd. from Pathumwan junction to Ratchaprasong intersection. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) aims to make the footpaths safe and accessible to all groups of people. Utility apparatus underneath the footpaths, and obstacles on the footpaths such as advertisement signs, electricity cabinets, and motorcycle taxi stands, are being re-organized. Water retention areas are also being increased, to mitigate flash floods that frequently occur during heavy rain.
The improvement project stretches 1,010 meters, with the average width of the completed footpath set at 5 meters. Landscape architecture, street furniture, and universal design concepts are being employed to create new footpaths. Notably, slopes for wheelchairs are being created at spots that are currently impassable to wheelchairs. Improvements are also being made to footpath lighting and the adjacent road surface.
According to the governor, one of the objectives of the project is to maintain Bangkok’s attractiveness as a beautiful city and a highly preferred destination among international travelers. Although the project is only about 5% complete, the BMA is prioritizing the completion of the section most used by pedestrians that stretches for about 330 meters from Pathumwan intersection to Lido Theater.
The BMA has plans to make similar landscape improvements in 4-5 localities of Bangkok in the future. (NNT)
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