Flying fox habitat at risk in BMA’s Saen Saeb Canal walkway plan

A Bangkok-based environmental network has objected to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s (BMA) plan to remove large trees along both sides of the Saen Saeb Canal to make way for a recreational pedestrian walkway and bicycle lane.

The group, calling itself the People’s Network for Environmental Protection in Bangkok, warned that the plan would damage the canal-side ecosystem.

It noted that some of the trees serve as seasonal roosting sites for dozens of Lyle’s flying foxes, a protected species, particularly during the cold season.

The group said cutting down the trees would permanently deprive the animals of this refuge.

The network also argued that the plan contradicts the city administration’s policy to promote urban greening, including a campaign to plant one million trees, while simultaneously removing mature trees, many of which are several decades old.

The proposed project involves the construction of a 47-kilometre pathway running from Phra Nakhon district through Bangkok’s suburbs.

According to the group, surveys along the proposed route indicate that a number of trees could be preserved through minor adjustments to the design of the walkway.

On Tuesday, the group sought assistance from Thai PBS to help present its concerns to the public.

Photographs showing areas along the canal before and after tree removal, as well as images of Lyle’s flying foxes roosting in the affected trees, were also shared.

The BMA’s Saen Saeb Canal pedestrian and bicycle walkway project aims to develop a 47.5-kilometre route for transportation and recreation, linking Phra Nakhon district to Nong Chok.

The project includes reinforced concrete embankments, pedestrian walkways, and bicycle lanes, with connections to public transport systems such as boats, mass transit rail, and buses. Construction is expected to be completed in phases, with most sections finished between 2026 and 2027 and the entire route completed by 2029.