Lumphini Park is a 360-rai

Rai (area)

A rai is a unit of area, equal to 1,600 square metres , used for measuring land area. Its current size is precisely derived from the metre, but is neither part of nor recognized by the modern metric system, the International System ....

 (57.6 hectares (142.3 acre)) park in Bangkok, Thailand. This park offers rare open public space

Public space

A public space is a social space such as a town square that is open and accessible to all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic level. One of the earliest examples of public spaces are commons. For example, no fees or paid tickets are required for entry, nor are the entrants...

, trees and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake where visitors can rent a variety of boats. Paths around the park totalling approximately 2.5 km in length are a popular area for evening joggers. Officially, cycling is only permitted during the day between the times of 5am to 3pm. There is a smoking ban

Smoking ban

Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...

 throughout the park, and dogs are not allowed.

History

Lumpini Park was created in the 1920s by King Rama VI on royal property. A statue of the king stands at the southwestern entrance to the park. It was named after Lumbini

Lumbini

Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi district of Nepal. It is the place where Queen Mayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama, who as the Buddha Gautama founded the Buddhist tradition. The Buddha lived between roughly 563 and 483 BCE...

, the birthplace of the Buddha

Gautama Buddha

Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...

 in Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

, and at the time of its creation stood on the outskirts of the city.
Today it lies in the heart of the main business district and is in the Lumphini

Lumphini

Lumphini is one of the 154 sub-districts of Bangkok, covering the area around the Lumphini Park...

 sub-district, on the north side of Rama IV Road, between Ratchadamri Road and Witthayu Road.

Venues and events

It has Bangkok's first public library

Public library

A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...

 and dance hall. During winter time, the Palm Garden of Lumphini Park becomes the site for the annual Concert in the Park festival featuring classical music by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and other bands.

Transportation

BTS Skytrain Silom Line Sala Daeng Station

Sala Daeng Station

Sala Daeng station is a BTS Skytrain station, on the in Bang Rak District, Bangkok, Thailand. The station is located on Si Lom Road to the southwest of Sala Daeng Intersection...

 is nearby.

MRT (Bangkok) Lumphini Station and Si Lom Station are nearby.

External links

• Lumphini Park at the Thai Department of the Environment
• GoNOMAD feature article on Lumphini Park