City staff have also been instructed to conduct safety checks on piers, while the public is being encouraged to use floats made of natural items and take into consideration the country’s mourning period after the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Suwanna Jungrungrueng, director of BMA’s Department of Environment, said 30 public parks across the capital would be kept open until midnight for people to release floats on November 14. However, she said, no floats would be allowed in Queen Sirikit Park in Chatuchak district or Suanluang Rama IX Park in Prawet district.
She added that since many of the 825,614 floats collected from canals and waterways last year had been made of Styrofoam, district offices had been instructed to campaign for floats made of natural materials.
Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said district offices were required to inform the public about the new regulations barring the release of floating lanterns and fireworks. He also advised people to use floats made from degradable materials such as banana leaves or bread.
Deputy Governor Amnuay Nimmano also urged district offices to inform people to remember Thai traditions and that the country was in mourning. He also said people living in areas where airplanes could be affected should not release floating lanterns.
Deputy Governor Thaweesak Lertprapan also called on officials to check the condition of piers in Bangkok for safety purposes, while the governor’s adviser Wanlop Suwandee said work to ban unauthorised vendors occupying pavement spaces would continue.
He also advised authorities to check entertainment venues and commercial accommodations to determine if they adhered to building codes to prevent a reoccurrence of the Santika Club fire on January 1, 2009, when more than 50 people were killed.