Lumpini becomes a public park again

Lumpini park is quickly returning to normal after being a home to thousands of protesters for months.

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The regulars who have used the park for many years are back and enjoying the companionship the park affords. KOSOL NAKACHOL

Lumpini re-emerges from the protests

Supoj Wancharoen

The old ambience of this popular park is returning after the damage incurred in past months

Joggers are taking the pathways and roads. The grandpa and grandma groups are taking back their corner on the lawn for their tai-chi and karaoke practice while enjoying morning tea. Kids are trying to balance themselves on roller-blades.

After a week of closure for a clean-up, the old mood of the park is beginning to return. KOSOL NAKACHOL

The familiar scenes are returning to Lumpini Park which was taken over by anti-government protesters in early March after they decided to merge their rally sites into one. They divided up the public park into “residential areas” and named them “villages”. The huge crowds of protesters drove away regular users.

The protesters dispersed on May 12 and City Hall closed the park for maintenance to allow it to return to its original state. The grass is growing back and the fresh park-like smell is once again delighting regular users.

“Almost everything has been done except rebuilding lawns which cover a large area,” the city’s Environment Department deputy chief Somchai Chatsakunpen said after the park reopened on May 19.

The lawns had dried out after being covered by canvas sheets and tents, and overused by the crowd around the clock. When the makeshift shelters were removed, a flat, empty expanse of brown soil emerged.

The protesters' tents are gone, but the paddle boats remain. THITI WANNAMONTHA

City officials are still laying new sheets of grass on vast damaged areas and transplanting grass seedlings on smaller ones, Mr Somchai said.

The last technique is similar to the transplanting of rice seedlings on wet paddy. It is suitable for restoring certain lawns this way when the damage is only slight, according to the Environment Department.

“So far, 50 percent of the lawns have been repaired,” Mr Somchai said.

The news is comforting to the countless Lumpini Park regulars who were worried about the damage inflicted by the thousands of anti-government protesters. Some feared the large crowds had destroyed shrubs and plants and disturbed animal habitats while others wondered what would happen to facilities such as toilets which were not built to handle the kind of crowds that took over the park during the height of the protests.

Their concerns were valid since Lumpini had never before been occupied by people day and night for such a prolonged period. Two-thirds of its 360 rai was turned into temporary accommodation with row after row of tents, bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor living facilities.

During its initial inspection of the park, the Environment Department reported surprisingly little damage to the grass, small plants and toilets.

Large trees, and especially the park’s ecosystem, were pretty much intact, Mr Somchai said.

The park is quieter and much cleaner than it was a month ago. KOSOL NAKACHOL

“Fish still come when we feed them. Birds also face no problems,” he said. “Even water monitors still exist and their numbers are increasing.”

After Lumpini Park reopened late last month, the number of park-goers has increased to almost normal rates, which is usually about 8,000 on weekdays and 10,000 on weekends.

The old ambience of this popular public park has returned. Most people still prefer jogging and walking around it. Aerobic dance and weight training always attract attention. For older people, tai-chi martial art practice and Chinese light exercise are still popular.

You can read the full story here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/414015/lumpini-re-emerges-from-the-protests

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