Recent events
Publications
NbS in Thailand
แนวทางการประเมินความเสี่ยงของพื้นที่
Site case study reports
Site poster summaries
Early plantings for the On Nut Forest Park
Indicative Plan (not to scale and illustrative only)
The vision for this case study is to transform a former urban waste transfer site into a multifunctional forest and wetland park that provides safe and inclusive recreational, economic and environmental benefits for Bangkok residents
Located between the CBD and Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the On Nut area has a growing mix of commercial and residential development, alongside informal settlements with insecure tenure that are directly affected by the legacy of the waste transfer and recycling activities. Residents living around the site experience odour and air quality issues, and there is ongoing risk of leachate, gas emissios, and land and water pollution issues.
Working with PTT GC and Kasetsart University and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), RUCaS is supporting the On Nut Ecological Forest Park to extend its role as a critical piece of green–blue infrastructure for the city.
What the case study explored
The RUCaS case study considered 3 development scenarios for the park:
- Scenario A focused on covering remaining waste, planting 45,000 trees, creating open water ponds to capture stormwater and support biodiversity, and providing a walking track around the park.
- Scenario A+ added more detailed investigation of soils and groundwater, and explored additional elements for biodiversity, water treatment, recreation, education and accessibility.
- Scenario B envisioned a fully remediated site with a chain of constructed wetlands, diversified tree plantings and terraced ecotone zones (swamp forest, terrestrial forest and pathways), designed using universal design and feminist planning principles.
The Forest Park team requested a focus on the economic assessment of options, as well as inclusive access. The study used RUCaS tools and methods to explore how the park could reduce flooding and heat, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and deliver heatlh and wellbeing benefits for surrounding communities, including residents of informal settlements.
What's happening now
Informing guidance on site risk
Lessons from On Nut are feeding directly into new Guidelines for Risk Assessment of Disused Land in Thailand. The guidelines walk agencies through staged site screening, contamination assessment, risk management and NbS options. The guidelines and accompanying materials have been reviewed by national and municipal agencies, so that experience from On Nut can help other cities safely repurpose disused land.
แนวทางการประเมินความเสี่ยงของพื้นที่
Accessible brownfield-to-greenfield policy brief
A short policy brief on transforming disused and contaminated land into multifunctional green areas is being prepared with the Department of Climate Change and Environment. It highlights how to manage risk during brownfield-to-greenfield conversion while delivering cooling, biodiversity, recreation and social benefits.
Building a biodiversity baseline for long-term park management
A detailed flora and fauna survey (completed June 2025) documented more than 100 plant and animal species, including over 80 bird species. The results guide habitat zoning, wetland planting and a monitoring plan to track ecological recovery as the park matures.
Flora and fauna signboard at On Nut
Using IoT sensors to demonstrate cooling and air-quality benefits
Low-cost IoT sensors are being installed to compare temperature and air quality inside and outside the park. The data will help local government, schools, community groups and disability advocacy organisations track how the forest park cools the neighbourhood and improves air quality, and use that information to shape future greening investments across Bangkok.
Embedding water sensitive and universal design in the next park upgrade
RUCaS provided hydrology and NbS design advice to Shma Designs and BMA, recommending closed-loop water circulation between ponds, wetland zones for treatment and habitat, and universally accessible paths and amenities. These inputs have been incorporated into BMA’s detailed design for future upgrades, positioning On Nut as a model of multifunctional, climate-resilient park design in Bangkok.
Overall vision for On Nut
Technical section (not to scale and illustration only)
The CRCWSC has produced research, guidelines and
tools related to the following topics:
Integrated Urban Flood
Management
Climate change
mitigation
Community
engagement
Economics and
business case