PTT, the largest Thai oil company, has turned their considerable resources to the subject of the environment and conservation by creating a project called PTT Green in the City (‘Pa Nai Krung’). It’s worth taking a half-day trip with the family to see what they have accomplished.
Located on a 12-rai tract of land on Sukaphiban 2 Road, out near Suvarnabhumi Airport, the project has restored what used to be a vacant lot and a dumping ground and turned it back into a natural habitat and wetlands environment. The focus of the project is also on constructing buildings out of natural materials that exist in harmony with the local environment. There is an elevated skywalk and an observation tower that gives visitors a birds-eye view of the project’s grounds, consisting of a mix of lowland forest, dry dipterocarp forest, brackish water forest, mangrove forest, and waterfall and limestone forest, with the remainder taken up by the wetlands environment.
Conservation and Sustainable Construction Methods
The grounds also include an energy-efficient, solar-powered exhibition building made out locally-produced natural materials including brick made from soil and bamboo as well as materials that are less polluting than standard construction materials. The exhibition building houses a mini-theatre that offers video presentations on the numerous practices and theories behind the concept of sustainable living and reforestation in an urban environment.
Visitors can also check out interactive educational programs to learn about different aspects of conservation. These aspects have been divided into zones within the exhibition building and include: Seeds of the Forest, educating visitors about sustainable botany practices; Impact on the City, showing the city’s impact on the environment; Bangkok Forest, explaining about the plants that were once abundant in the Bangkok area; and Sustainable Growth, sharing the knowledge that has been learned through the practice of reforestation into an urban environment.
Visiting Pa Nai Krung
The project may not appeal to very young children, but for those of elementary and middle school ages and above, it’s a worthwhile visit — they will enjoy the skywalk, immersed in a verdant setting with fresh air. We imagine that, over time, PTT Green in the City will become even better when its many saplings have matured and the area attracts more bird and animal species.
Presently, guided tours of 1.5 hours in duration around the grounds are available; there are two tours in the morning and two in the afternoon on a regular basis. Most of the information on the premises and in the exhibition hall is in Thai, however.
The PTT Green in the City project is open from 9am to 4pm, Tuesdays through Sundays, in rounds: 9am to 10.30am, 10.30am to 12pm, 1pm to 2.30pm, and 2.30pm to 4pm. They are closed on Monday. Entrance is free. The easiest way to get there is to take the BTS to Udomsuk station, and then get on a taxi. For more information on the project, please call 02 136 6280. You can also check out their website here.
Image Credit: PTT
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