Local fears feed growing hostility to riverside promenade
Govt forges ahead with B2.5bn pilot section for 140-km boardwalk touted as a boon to stopping floods, fostering green urban transport, writes Supoj Wancharoen
As the government presses ahead with its ambitious project for a riverside promenade, by aiming to complete its pilot section in five years, local residents are uncertain about what concrete benefits the project will bring to their communities.
The Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTTPP) is currently seeking cabinet approval to build a 5.7-kilometre pilot section of the project, which spans the Maha Jess ada bod intra nu so rn and Rama V bridges on both sides of the Chao Phraya River.
The pilot section is part of the 140km riverside promenade which will stretch through Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces. In a sign of the government’s growing ambitions for the project, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration — which is overseeing the construction of the 14km Bangkok section — has named the promenade “The New Landmark of Thailand”.
But some residents have expressed grave misgivings about the boardwalk, which has been touted to them by the government as an undertaking that will bring great benefits to their communities.
Khwankhao Banjong, who lives near the Rama V Bridge where the pilot construction is set to begin once the cabinet approves it, is concerned the project may not be worth the multi-billion-baht investment.
“Bicycles are not even the main mode of transport for locals,” he pointed out. He said he wished authorities would conduct another study and devise something more practical.
The OTTPP is seeking 2.5 billion baht next month to build the pilot section near the Nonthaburi pier. Though the nonmotorised path is designed to facilitate access to public transport, Mr Khwankhao said residents can already walk to public transport. The additional structure will be too hot to use during the day, he added.
People also say they are concerned the promenade will be a wide avenue shared by pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, making travel dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.
Since the first information session on Aug 3, the agency says it is has held 39 meetings with 129 local communities which stand to be affected by the project.
The final meeting during the consultation phase of the project was held on Dec 2 to present the findings of the feasibility study — which will be submitted to the OTTPP by Dec 31.
The agency said 82% of residents who attended the meetings agreed with the design concept. According to Wijit Nimitrwannich, the OTTPP’s transport specialist, the promenade will be divided into eight sections, featuring different designs to suit the original scenery and ensure locals benefit from the project.
For example, the section in Nonthaburi will have the ability to prevent floods downstream, Mr Wijit said.
The project will enhance public space along the riverfront for recreational activities as well as provide a route to boost transport connectivity.
It won’t affect the livelihoods and cultural activities of the communities, he added.
The plan includes a ramp to help cyclists cross Maha Jess ada bod intra nu so rn Bridge and improvements to space under the bridge so the public can use it.
Kasidi Vichitugsornpong, a coordinator for the consultancy team, said his team was looking for an area to develop into a public park and connect land to water transport routes. It should serve the city development plan, he said.
The team has proposed constructing a four-to-six-metre wide non-motorised path. “We wanted this instead of a multilane road next to the river, to encourage locals to reduce their reliance on cars over short distances,” said Mr Kasidi.
Banning motorised vehicles will keep air and noise pollution in the area low. The narrow walkway will not block the flow of water when it rains.
But architect Duangrit Bunnag said the OTTPP should conduct further surveys to assess the impact of the project on people whose livelihoods depend on the river, instead of rushing ahead with the scheme.
A comprehensive study for such a big project usually requires 20 to 30 years, but the government has taken only nine months to complete its study of the promenade, he said.
“Please knock on the doors of residents and ask them what they want and what they don’t want,” said the renowned architect.
Some residents may agree with the nonmotorised path, which works as a dam to prevent floods, but many may oppose the idea nevertheless, he said.
“Some people have lived with floods all their lives,” he said.
Local resident Mr Kwankhao also said communities did not necessarily need the dam as a means to stop flooding, because they are used to it.
“Floods come and go every year. We have learned to live with them in the rainy season,” he said.
Mr Duangrit questioned whether locals who attended the information sessions truly represented the interests and voices of local riverside communities.
Another resident, Sethaporn Kusripituck, said he wasn’t certain if the path would even be popular among residents.
“The whole promenade [spanning four provinces] doesn’t have to be uniform along its 140km length,” he said, adding that he worries the pathway will become a focal point where people gather to drink alcohol in the evening. “And the dam will definitely block our view of the Chao Phraya River.”