Why Are Bangkok Parks Always Empty?

[fhickson]

Find it strange that bangkok parks are often relatively empty in proportion to the amount of people living here.

 

Sitting alone in Lumpini Park and Benjakiti Park with huge open spaces, close to dense crowded areas and nobody around other then a few straglers I ponder the question.

 

Came to the conclusion that thais dont like to be alone in quiet spaces where there is no noise or other people around.

 

Compare this to Central Park in New York City which is bustling and full of people. Strange.

 

Anyone have any other explanations?

 

Edited January 20, 2020 by fhickson

[mstevens]

Thais generally don't care for the heat, the sun or the pollution and to be honest, who can blame them?

 

When in Bangkok, I like to visit Lumpini Park but after an hour or so I really need to get out of the heat and pollution and in to the relative comfort of air-conditioning.

 

[Roy Baht]

They're only empty in the daytime. Go at either dawn or dusk and you'll see Thais exercising, jogging, biking, etc.

[Kaptain Asia]

Benjakitti Park is like a building site at the moment which undoubtedly puts some people off (myself included).

[BobTH]

I often exercise at Lumpini Park and I am going in the gate at 5am. There are many groups of people there by around 7am when I am through and go home. As someone already said, I go early to beat the heat.

 

[fred110]

Go to Lumpini early in the morning, lots of people around.

[henry15]

At  5am most parks in Thailand are bursting with activities. the same happens after 5pm. Its simply too hot during daytime

[richard_smith237]

Benjakitti at about 4-7pm has a lot of people riding around on the cycling lane and running around... 100’s of people.

 

But as for people just sitting in the park and chilling out, its too hot in the afternoon to just sit around in any of the parks in Bangkok. 

[Snackbar]

Thais aren’t indigenous to Thailand and don’t cope well outdoors in the heat of the day. 

 

[1FinickyOne]

years ago there were plenty of people out... I haven't been in Bkk for a long time but I would say pollution is the difference... 

[geisha]

Heat , pollution and the damned birds that attack people stops me going to Lumpinî  too often.

[spinner2020]

Once upon a time there were restaurants in parks (like Suan Lum) where those who don't like it too hot could relax and watch the view with a beer and some grub. But that was considered a bad idea and banned............ That's why I don't go there any more.

Lumpini, Suan Rot Fai and others are perfect places for German-style biergaerten - tourist attraction as well as for locals. It's not too warm under a sunshade with a litre of beer. Where's TAT when you need them?

 

[Bangkok Barry]

14 hours ago, Roy Baht said:

They're only empty in the daytime. Go at either dawn or dusk and you'll see Thais exercising, jogging, biking, etc.

 

Exactly right. I used to go running with the wife in Rama 9 Park when I lived in Bangkok. Pretty busy at dawn.

[Bangkok Barry]

8 minutes ago, spinner2020 said:

Where's TAT when you need them?

 

They're in a room somewhere with an abacus, adding up how many millions of tourists they can get away with telling us flood the country each month.

[spinner2020]

" I used to go running with the wife in Rama 9 Park when I lived in Bangkok. "

 

Did she ever catch you?!

 

Rama 9 is interesting because early and late in the day it's free but for most daylight hours it's 20(?) baht to get in - which of course makes it relatively even more quiet. And despite my previous post, it does have a restaurant, although not serving beer which rather defeats the object.

Edited January 21, 2020 by spinner2020
add quote

[fred110]

10 minutes ago, spinner2020 said:

Once upon a time there were restaurants in parks (like Suan Lum) where those who don't like it too hot could relax and watch the view with a beer and some grub. But that was considered a bad idea and banned............ That's why I don't go there any more.

Lumpini, Suan Rot Fai and others are perfect places for German-style biergaerten - tourist attraction as well as for locals. It's not too warm under a sunshade with a litre of beer. Where's TAT when you need them?

 

People like you aren't wanted in Lumpini. Go to Soi Cowboy.

[spinner2020]

4 minutes ago, fred110 said:

People like you aren't wanted in Lumpini. Go to Soi Cowboy.

So where in Cowboy can one relax in peace, perhaps with a  modest brass band,and sip a beer all afternoon without being hustled?.........

Seriously, Lumpini was (a long time ago, admittedly) just idyllic for me, the wife (who could natter with the restaurant people AND eat non-stop) and my kids (who could terrorise the iguanas) for a quiet weekend afternoon. Farang guests thought it just perfect and a highlight of their visit.

It never once got rowdy, although one suspects that was the pretext for closing it. The owner, having spent 10+ years working in that environment, was last heard of behind a counter in a Pratunam department store. Poor woman.

[dluek]

During the day, yes, they are empty because it's hot as balls. But I can attest that Lumpini, Benjakiti, Benjasiri and Santi parks all get very busy with joggers, aerobics dancers, basketball and takraw players, etc., every evening from around 5:30 to 8:00pm. 

[fhickson]

im not convinced its the heat. its not too hot for me. people are hanging out everywhere on the sidewalk all skrunched in sitting on little stools hunched over for lack of room. unemployed and doing nothing.

 

seems like its being alone in the space thats the problem.

 

beer garden would be great. great idea! even a food vendor area with some nice big chairs and room to spread out would be even better. could put it all in just one small area there.

Edited January 21, 2020 by fhickson

[Monkeyrobot]

They don’t like the sun. Not often you see them sunbaking at the beach, not like westerners.

[ujayujay]

Beqause the air is so clean!?

[Thingamabob]

They are all crowded in the mornings and evenings. Too hot in the daytime. Pretty obvious really.

[Katipo]

If you go to the parks before 7:30am or after 5:00pm, you will see a hive of activity. As others have pointed out, being out during sunshine hours is not for Thais. 

[rech]

More important, whyso many smart and useful questions here ?

 

:-)

 

 

 

 

[ballpoint]

This explains it...

 

[spinner2020]

17 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

This explains it...

 

Doesn't explain my wife or kids, but then nothing else does either.

Although Coward did do: "There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner" which comes closer.........

[ToddinChonburi]

Try 6am and 6pm

[AjarnMartin]

No air-conditioning! They’re all in the local mall... ????

[Youlike]

On 1/21/2020 at 2:57 PM, henry15 said:

At  5am most parks in Thailand are bursting with activities. the same happens after 5pm. Its simply too hot during daytime

Yes too hot but also not enough shade and places to sit...

[smutcakes]

On Saturday and Sunday early mornings you can hardly run around Lumpini park there are so many people exercising.