Bangkok

I do not recall being in this section of Bangkok. As it is, Bangkok is an interesting city having quite a bit of history to it. The residents are nice to Americans and others. Most are trying to just make a living. They look to foreign visitors to make part of their income. I found them to be friendly having worked with them at Yazaki and another faculty whose name eludes me at this moment. Many speak English as a result of the American companies having plants in Thailand.

‘Paris of the East’ turns ‘Concrete Oven’

Bangkok Post OpEd

Prof, Drew B Mallory, 29/04/2026

If you stand on the banks of the Khlong Saen Saep today, near the glossy high-rises of Wireless Road, you are witnessing a battle for the soul of Bangkok. On one hand, you see the future: concrete embankments and new walkways, part of a government push to connect the city in the vein of European capitals or our neighbour, Singapore. On the other hand, you see the ghosts of the past: fresh stumps of rain trees that stood for decades, severed to make way for the very cement intended to “beautify” the city. It is a paradox that defines modern Bangkok. We are a city desperate to be green, yet addicted to grey.

A King’s Vision: A Parisian Dream

To understand what we are losing, we have to remember what we were trying to build. This isn’t the first time Thailand has looked to Europe for urban inspiration. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) returned from his travels to Europe with a vision. Inspired by the grand boulevards of Paris and London, he initiated a massive beautification of the capital. This wasn’t just about roads; it was about the canopy. Major avenues were lined with mahogany and tamarind trees, transforming the “Venice of the East” into a terrestrial garden city. For a century, those trees did more than look good. They shaded us, cooled our streets, and cleaned our air. They were the lungs of a growing giant.

The Slow Asphyxiation

Fast forward to 2026, and that vision is fracturing. While the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) champions initiatives like Green Bangkok 2030 and has reported planting over 1.2 million trees, aiming to increase green space to 10 square metres per person, the reality on the ground is often a different story. Independent analysis suggests the “accessible” public green space is as low as 1.47 to 3.0 sqm/person, a stark contrast to the official claims and the WHO’s recommendation of 9 sqm/person. We must give credit where it is due. The expansion of Benjakitti Forest Park is a triumph — a world-class example of turning an industrial site into a living wetland that acts as a sponge for the city. It proves the government can execute complex, ecological landscaping when the will is there. However, outside these gated parks, the “Green War” is being lost to carelessness and developer self-interest.

The Wireless Road Walkway: A Case Study in Contradiction

Take the current situation in the Pathumwan and Wireless Road district. The city is currently upgrading the canal-side paths. In theory, this is brilliant. Just look at Singapore’s Park Connector Network: lush, shaded corridors that allow people to move through the city by water, boosting health and property values. Local authorities have rightly praised this model, envisioning a Bangkok where we can walk from the pier to the Skytrain in comfort. But here lies the “Bangkok Twist”. In our rush to build the path, we are destroying the shade. Residents near the Phetchaburi-Wireless intersection have watched with dismay as heavy machinery rolls in. Instead of incorporating the existing, massive trees into the design — building around them or bridging over roots — crews frequently opt for the path of least resistance: removal. The justification given by district officials for the removal of over 60 trees — that they were diseased or a safety risk — was rebutted by the Big Trees Project, which found that only two trees were actually unhealthy. We are bulldozing the “Paris of the East” to build a concrete oven. A walkway without shade in 35-degree heat is not a park; it is a frying pan.

The Tale of Two Developers

This carelessness isn’t inevitable. It is a choice. Contrast the canal destruction with the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok project nearby. Nestled within the historic Nai Lert Park, the developers realised that the century-old trees on their land were not obstacles, but assets. They designed the building around the landscape, preserving the root systems and the canopy. The architect, Jean-Michel Gathy, designed the hotel’s structure around the site’s century-old Sompong tree, with the swimming pool structure curving around its trunk. This choice, rooted in the owner’s explicit desire to honour the heritage tree, proves that high-value real estate and preservation are not mutually exclusive, viewing the tree as a unique asset rather than an impediment.

Of course, not every landowner has the budget of a super-luxury hotel. But preservation doesn’t always require millions. It requires imagination. We have all seen the “classic” Bangkok sidewalk where a massive tree trunk sits stubbornly in the middle of the pavement. We joke about having to squeeze past it, but that awkward dance is a sign of life. It’s a compromise we should be happy to make. Instead, we see developers and private landowners clear-cutting plots overnight. Worse, the developers’ “greenwashing” game continues, with many Environmental Impact Assessments counting features like paved plazas with potted palms — the infamous “potted plant loophole” — towards “green area” requirements, which provide zero real ecological benefit.

The Spiritual Disconnect

This casual destruction is even more baffling when viewed through a cultural lens. Thailand is a nation that historically reveres nature. Walk down any street, and you will see trees wrapped in rainbow-coloured sashes, surrounded by offerings of Red Fanta. Many believe these giants house spirits (Rukkha Deva). We pray to them for lottery numbers and protection. We turn to them for comfort and inspiration. Yet, there is a disconnect between the spiritual and the municipal. A tree can be sacred on Tuesday, but if it stands in the way of a new driveway or a private condo view on Wednesday, it vanishes. Current laws regarding private property allow landowners to fell trees with no permits, no public discussion, and no thought for the community’s future. Or our past.

A Public Health Emergency

This isn’t just about aesthetics: it is about survival. According to the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI), residents of Bangkok are expected to lose more than two years of life expectancy due to current pollution levels. Our PM2.5 levels are among the highest in the region. While a few rain trees along the canal won’t solve the pollution crisis single-handedly, removing them makes it undeniably worse. We are also evicting our neighbors. These canopy trees are the last urban refuge for Lyle’s Flying Fox, a protected bat species essential to our ecosystem. These bats, which pollinate our fruit crops, are losing their homes at an alarming rate, a concern documented by local environmental networks.

The Call for ‘Active Citizenship’

The situation feels dire, but hopelessness is not an option. Recently, we have seen a surge in civic energy. Groups like the Big Trees Project and active local citizens have mobilised to stop the chainsaws. They are watching, documenting, and speaking up. They are also leading the charge to professionalise tree care, campaigning for the BMA to institutionalise the arborist profession to replace the outdated and destructive methods of haphazard maintenance crews, drills, and machetes… However, they face a maze of contradictions. One municipal department says “stop”, another issues a work order. The police shrug; the district office points fingers. It is a bureaucratic fog that leaves citizens feeling powerless. But we must push through that fog. As a foreign resident who has made this vibrant city my home, and as an academic observing these changes, I see a pivotal moment for Bangkok. We don’t just need “sustainability” as a buzzword. We need a culture of citizen engagement that the government respects. We need a system where, when a community says, “Save this tree,” the excavators actually stop and discuss. We need developers to see green space not as wasted square footage, but as a gift to the city that enriches us all — and one that respects the heritage, culture, and history of our great and historic home.

We have the history. We have the spirit. We just need to stop cutting down our future.