Big Cleaning Day: The Challenge for Thai Landscape Architects after the Floods

This year the celebrations of His Majesty the King’s 84th birthday have given new hope to Thailand. On December 5th, King Bhumibol Adulyadej appeared on the balcony of the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall within the Grand Palace, and gave a grand public speech that urged Thai people to help to revive the country after the recent floods, the worst disaster to hit the country for many years. For a long time King has not only initiated numerous significant royal projects aimed at solving the problems of drought, flooding, and the treatment of polluted water, but he has also consistently advocated a lifestyle in harmony with nature. He encourages a holistic approach to water resource management that deals with the complete water cycle from droplet to disposal.
Since November the government has set up a group of committees to consider post-flood rehabilitation, to provide credible ideas to regain investor confidence, and to generate an integrated water management plan. In response to pressure from the public and investors, the Prime Minister has finally announced detailed programs for compensation, discount coupons, and loan assistance for flood victims. The government has also promised to help flood-hit industries financially such as by helping to pay 30% of the cost of new machines, materials, and tools which have to be replaced, and providing tax exemption for key imported items.
The idea that a better infrastructure would save Bangkok Metropolitan Region from future flooding has received widespread support from state agencies and politicians and is also expected to be included in the government's budget. According to the latest media reports, long term planning will include consideration of the earlier controversial proposal for a “Super Express Floodway” project, which would create a 200 km-long floodway linking natural canals from Chai Nat Province to the Gulf in Samut Prakan Province. The drainage route and flood-detention area would be flanked by motorways to prevent nearby communities or properties from being inundated. Undoubtedly the huge cost of the project has sparked concern about corruption, while many environmentalists also think that it is not the right choice. Water should be rather kept aside for agricultural activity, a foundation of Thai culture, rather than be dumped directly into the sea, commented Eggarin Anukulyudhathon, the president of the Thai City Planner Society who is also a lecturer at Kasetsart University.
Most city planners and academics have now agreed that the Bangkok Metropolitan Region has grown out of control, both in terms of its size and population. The conurbation now covers an area of 7,761 square kilometres, while the ever-growing population has reached approximately 10.3 million registered inhabitants. The urban development of the past has clearly resulted in today’s major disruptions of the natural ecology of the region and, among the ongoing discussion is the question of whether the development of the country should be more decentralized or whether the capital city should be eventually relocated. This latter proposal has produced a heated political debate, which is hardly surprising given the fact that Bangkok has always been the prime center of the nation over its long history.

Professor Decha Boonkham, the founder of Landscape Architecture studies at Chulalongkorn University, who has recently been recognized officially as a National Artist, has advocated highlighted that urban planning must respect nature much more. In his recent comments on the flooding, he suggested that any future regional plans and policies must be generated on the basis of the ecosystem to which the landscape belongs. He also proposed to the Thai Parliament and the government that an Advisory Committee, as well as a National Commission on Settlement and Urban Planning, be set up to re-examine all relevant law and regulations to facilitate a more sustainable approach to the planning of urban development, and to ensure that these plans will be much better implemented by governmental and local authorities in the long-term.
After almost six months, floodwater in many parts of Central Thailand has begun to drain away and in the inner Bangkok it has been receding steadily. The early days of December saw blue skies, dry weather and hundreds of people with brooms sweeping mud and debris from homes, while teams of volunteers removed rotting piles of garbage from the streets in a “Big Cleaning Day.”

Perhaps it should also be a big cleaning day for landscape architects in Thailand – for them to redefine their role and responsibilities. There must be a legislative, academic, and professional shift. First, the government’s urban and environmental planning departments must recognize the role of the landscape architect and what we have to offer. Currently this is not the case and so there are not many chances for us to get involved in public projects. Secondly, the scope of the landscape architect's work as set out by the Architect Council of Thailand (ACT) must also be redefined. Currently it is described merely as the design and planning of external work that often overlaps with other design fields. Thirdly, the academic curriculum should offer broader aspects of landscape architecture and industry such as project development, construction and management, rather than focus merely on design issues. It should also provide training in large-scale and public projects. Lastly, over the nearly 40 years since the profession became established, it seems that most landscape architects have not had many chances to work on large-scale landscape projects, which sadly has left them to work merely on gardens in private grounds. The Thai Association of Landscape Architect (TALA) must work harder to promote the competence of the profession and to persuade the public of the need for its contribution to large-scale landscape regeneration.  It should also encourage the Thai government to re-examine its environmental policy and regulation.