The latest tree-trimming drive by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has drawn criticism from a well-known local conservation group who have slammed City Hall for it's "unprofessional" approach to the pruning.
Last Tuesday, the "Thaifootpath" Facebook account posted images of Burma Padauk trees, or 'pradu" in Thai, which had been stripped to their lower trunks.
The trees line a footpath near Lumpini Park on Witthayu Road. Also posted were similar scenes of amputated trees along Charoen Rat and Chan roads in Sathon district.
Netizens commenting on the pictures mockingly accused City Hall of felling trees to "mark" the 238th anniversary of Krung Rattanakosin, the former name of the Thai capital, which fell on Tuesday.
Oraya Sutabutr, co-founder of Big Trees, an urban conservation group, told the Bangkok Post yesterday the tree surgery is not being done professionally.
"Usually, we would only cut off the dead parts, but these pictures clearly show that healthy branches are being pruned," said Ms Oraya.
"The BMA's claim the trees will grow back is untrue," she said. "Trees that are cut too much will get weaker and die eventually."
The conservationist also warned the severity of the pruning in Sathon and Pathumwan districts is likely to weaken the roots and actually make them more prone to falling in heavy wind.
Big Trees is part of a conservation network that has run arboreal workshops for BMA workers over the past few years.
Despite this training apparently apparently having gone to waste n this occasion, Ms Oraya did say the BMA has generally improved its standards in many parts of the city.
However, Ms Oraya says the problem lies with district directors who lack the "vision and awareness" to ensure that only skilled tree surgeons are deployed for environmental work in their areas.
Her group would seek help from Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang, who chairs a committee on city tree management, to solve the problem. "We can't let district officials do what they want any more," Ms Oraya said.
