Bangkok, SRT, and EGAT join hands to increase green space in city
22 March 2023Bangkok, SRT, and EGAT collaborated in planting 750 trees in a vacant area along the Southern train line in Ban Phlat District, aiming at transforming it into a park to reduce particle pollution and prevent littering.
On March 18, 2023, Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Bangkok Governor, presided over the opening ceremony of the activity integrating Bangkok’s One-million-rai Reforestation Project with the Participatory Reforestation Project of Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), with a cooperation of State Railway of Thailand (SRT). This event was organized by Bang Phlat District Office to increase green space in the city, create a natural wall filtering particulate matters, maximize the use of existing area, and solve the illegal littering problem in the vacant area at the end of Charansanitwong 75 alley, Bang Phlat District, Bangkok.
Bangkok Governor said that Bangkok has been implementing 1-million-rai Reforestation Project; while EGAT carrying out the Participatory One-Million-Rai Reforestation Project. Bangkok and EGAT, therefore, collaborate in increasing green space to make a better condition for the city. This vacant area along the Southern train line was a garbage pile that the District is developing into a park with a workout walkway to boost public health and filter particulate matters. 40% of trees planted by Bang Phlat District are perennial plants. For this event, Bungor trees with beautiful purple flowers were planted. In the future, more perennial plants such as Pink Trumpet and Silver Trumpet trees will be planted to create a colorful scenery.
Ms. Areeya Pengprasert, Bang Phlat District Director, added that the District encountered the illegal littering in the vacant area along the Southern train line, resulting in pollutions, conflagration, and waste overflowing to the road, causing troubles to passers-by and the nearby community. The district had removed the waste of 208 tons and carried out the reforestation phase 1 with 748 trees in a distance of 300 meters. This event is in phase 2 with a total of 750 trees planted in a distance of 200 meters. It aims to plant more trees in this vacant area totaling 1 km to turn it into a park in the future.
Ms. Noppavan Kanjanavan, EGAT Deputy Governor – Administration, stated that EGAT has carried out the One-Million-Rai Reforestation Project nationwide, a measure under EGAT Carbon Neutrality by 2050, to ensure the security of natural resources, environment, and energy. It plans to increase green areas for the country and absorb CO2 of over 1.2 million tons per year – totaling 23.6 million tons throughout the project. EGAT, in cooperation with Bangkok and SRT, has integrated EGAT’s reforestation project with Bangkok’s for increased green space in the city. Due to the current air condition, it is required to take care of the quality of life; otherwise, life conditions will get worse in the future.
In this event, EGAT provided 200 Yellow Bell Trees, planting equipment, and drinking water. In 2023, EGAT aims to plant trees in one hundred thousand rai with public participation and occupation generation for nearby communities by applying agro-forestry approach. In February 2023, the 96,430-rai area was provided by Royal Forest Department for reforestation. Also, EGAT is nurturing the tree of 97,103.2 rai planted in 2022.