The king’s park

Bangkok and Manila have much in common. They are both sprawling Southeast Asian cities that have grown rapidly over the last 50 years. High-rise office buildings and condominium towers have sprung up randomly in both, amid older Art Deco structures, nineteenth century colonial architecture, and traditional Thai or Filipino wooden houses. Although never a colony, Thailand was strongly influenced by Western architecture when it "modernized" in the late nineteenth century.

Both cities are good examples of the eclectic mix of urban development which has characterized Southeast Asia for the last century. Each has had to struggle with overcrowded neighborhoods and the evils of traffic jams, air and water pollution. One important Western antidote to these curses that Bangkok has adapted and Manila sorely needs is a large, well-maintained public park.

Parks refresh the air and give citizens breathing space. Both Bangkok and Manila are hot and humid year round, ideal for botanical gardens but oppressive without green spaces and shade trees. Picturesque canals once crisscrossed both cities, but have mostly been filled in to make way for the ubiquitous automobile.

Each city is bisected by a medium-sized river. The Chao Praya in Bangkok is still used for transportation and is even a favored site for luxury hotels and upscale shopping malls. The banks of the smaller Pasig River in Manila have been largely abandoned as a promenade. Unlike Bangkok, however, Manila has a scenic bay front which should be developed further for public enjoyment.

Parks have existed in Asia for centuries but usually as private gardens or hunting preserves for royalty or religious institutions. European and American public parks evolved in the 19th century as a direct consequence of rapidly expanding urban environments. They were specifically designed to serve as healthy recreation centers for the entire population.

In Paris, London and New York, large tracts of valuable real estate were set aside exclusively for public use. Natural rock formations were preserved, artificial lakes created, trees and flowers planted and harmless wildlife encouraged to roam freely. Bangkok has followed this tradition with Lumphini Park near the center of the city.

From 1910 to 1925, Thailand was fortunate to have been ruled by King Vachiravudh, Rama VI, a patron of the arts, an accomplished musician and a visionary city planner. In the early 1920s he generously set aside several hectares of land along one of Bangkok’s busiest avenues, Rama IV Road between Silom and Wireless Roads, and designated it to be a park and exposition grounds.

Although Rama VI did not live to see Lumphini Park completed, it has become a fitting tribute to his benevolent foresight. An imposing statue of him now stands at the main entrance at Silom Road. On the early Sunday morning I visited, several people had already left flowers and incense at the statue’s base and a young couple were kneeling in prayer in front of it.

Unlike Rizal Park in Manila with its formal promenades and carefully laid out gardens, Lumphini Park, with much more space, creates a relaxed natural environment. There are paved pathways running throughout but they do not dominate the wide lawns, ornamental gardens, lakes and thick stands of trees, which give the park a bucolic atmosphere. The pathways serve the crowds of joggers, old and young, who come early to avoid the heat. A wide cross section of Bangkok society uses the park to relax and enjoy themselves.

Sitting on a bench watching the crowd on a Sunday morning, I noticed rich matrons in designer sports wear complete with parasols and maids in tow, strolling alongside athletes, family groups, determined yuppies and old timers in wheel chairs accompanied by nurses. Older couples were exercising together, while large groups of all ages were practicing t’ai chi. A pair of Sikh businessmen jogged by with their long hair knotted casually on the top of their heads. I spotted a few Western businessmen out for their morning exercise in running shorts or seat pants. Fortunately no bikes or vehicles are allowed in the park to interfere with the walkers and joggers.

One controversial pheno-menon in Lumphini Park, which might appeal to some residents of Manila, are the singing clubs. These small groups of ten or 20 friends have staked out spots throughout the park to practice, setting up tables, chairs, portable tea stands and loud speakers. Most of the groups I heard were Chinese old timers. Even to my untrained ear their love songs sounded a bit off key, even grating if you found yourself between two groups at once. However, they were thoroughly enjoying themselves and were well supplied with tea, soft drinks and pastries. One elderly lady even had a young man accompanying her on a violin. Nature lovers have complained in the Bangkok press that the singers are disturbing the peaceful environment so the volumes have had to be turned down. Along the edge of the park I found the sound of whizzing tuk tuks (two cylinder tricycles), motorcycles and buses drifting in through the park’s wrought iron fence more disturbing than the singers.

As I made the rounds of the park I passed fortune-tellers, people offering massage, facial treatments, homeopathic medicines, even a Hare Krishna group. Weight lifters have their own special section to work out and show off their muscular bodies and fancy tattoos. There were kids flying kites, playing badminton, old men feeding the fish and birds, couples navigating little paddle boats across the two artificial lakes, people picnicking and just relaxing on the cool inviting grass.

As you proceed further into the park you begin to get beautiful views of Bangkok’s skyline across the meandering lakes and lush foliage. The second lake has a powerful fountain shooting jets of water 30 or 40 feet into the air, beautifully set against a backdrop of trees and modern skyscrapers.

At the far end of the park is a four-story clock tower in the style of a Chinese pagoda. When the clock strikes the hour, ceramic figures in traditional Thai costume emerge from the windows on the second level and slowly rotate as if dancing. Pigeons fly up from their perches in the belfries and people gather around to watch. Here and there about the park are attractive pieces of modern sculpture, decorative bridges, fountains, flowerbeds and beautiful examples of carefully trained bougainvillea.

All in all the park struck me as just the right mix of human activity and natural beauty. Serious looking uniform guards patrol on scooters to make sure kids or unruly adults don’t damage the plants, molest the birds and animals, light fires, leave their trash about or make too much noise. A little public discipline is necessary to keep a large park well maintained, safe and relaxing, as it should be. There are also plenty of clean comfort rooms manned by attendants.

As is true with parks and public spaces in the Philippines, Lumphini Park has come under pressure from developers and shortsighted politicians. Three years ago friends of the park had to battle Bangkok officials who wanted to build a large, four-storey Sky Train station right near the Silom Road entrance. Rizal Park and Arroceros Forest Park in Manila, Quezon Circle in Quezon City and Burnham Park in Baguio are also under constant pressure from developers and local politicians. Some public officials seem to have an absolute aversion to open spaces and are constantly trying to fill them up with ugly "improvements" such as fast food outlets, mini-malls, parking lots and even public building projects.

Lumphini Park offers a refreshing break from Bangkok’s hot and crowded streets. It is a place for everybody: young and old, men, women and children to relax and play. It would be a true miracle if Metro Manila’s politicians could put their combined energies together and create such a large nature preserve right in the heart of the city. There is plenty of room on the newly reclaimed land along Manila Bay. As Lumphini Park has proved to be for Bangkok, a spacious park would be of great benefit to Manila’s urban residents and a wonderful legacy for future generations.