Benchasiri park was built in 1992 to celebrate the Queen’s Sirikit’s Diamond Jubilee as well as to accommodate more green space to the expanding city. The park has been renovated a few times to keep the landscape nice and well connected to the community around.
Urban Green Space Inside Bangkok
Not only is the location of the park in the great commercial district like Prompong, but there are also few elements which makes this park become a real urban green space.
Starting from the landscape of this park, it is very simple and accommodates various activities for persons who live in the city. The lake in the middle with the walking or running trail circled around the lake, various facilities like playgrounds or badminton court located along this trail as well as several sculptures sits around the park, these elements accommodate both who wants to visit the park for just a nice walk with their loved one or those who looks for an exercise session.
There are also several exit gates which directly connect you to the surrounding complex such as EmSphere, Marriott Marquis hotel, Emporium. This also allows people who stay in hotels or residences in Soi Methi Niwet to access the green space within walkable distances.
Facilities for Various Kind of Outdoor Activities
The size of Benchasiri park is great for exercises such as walking, jogging or running. The lake and trees help reduce the temperature, so you will feel less hot compared to the street outside. This makes outdoor activities more pleasant in such a hot country.
Even trees and the lake helps, local people normally go to the park in the late afternoon and after work. This means it can be very crowded in the evening. Therefore, I would not recommend activities such as biking which requires some distance and less people around.
There are also basketball, badminton and volleyball courts as well as skateboard parks at the back where you can team up with friends and use the facilities. There are no sports equipment rental services here, which means you need to bring your own.
A bodybuilding yard is available at some point of the park near the exit to the Emporium shopping mall. There are bars, benches and some equipment for bodybuilding provided. It is not ideal to do the weight lifting here as some equipment might be old or rusty. However, it is great for body weight training.
There is also a swimming pool at the very back of the park where you can enjoy a nice swim session. This place requires a membership or you can pay for a single time entry which you can stay for 1.5 hours.
Playgrounds for Children
Two large playgrounds are waiting for children at the front part of the park. If you are traveling with kids and want to spend some relaxing time outdoors, you can always bring the kids here.
The swimming pool at the back also has a separate shallow pool for children. The pool itself has a great privacy from the runner on the ground, but may not provide the ideal privacy from the people in the high rise building nearby.
Opening hours
Benchasiri park opens daily from 4:30 until 22:00. The park will be super crowded after the working hours around 18:00 until the closing time.
The swimming pool opens daily. However, the opening hours may slightly differ between weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, it opens from 10:00 until 19:30. On weekends and public holidays, it opens from 10:00 until 17:30.
Entrance fee
Everyone is free to enter the park and use the outdoor facilities.
The swimming pool requires an entrance fee. For non-Thai citizens, the cost is 150 THB (~5 USD) per 1 swim period which is 1.5 hours. However, it also requires an additional effort with the paperwork to identify yourself and make sure the facility is safe with two 1-2 inch photos of you, a medical certificate as well as a copy of your passport. If you plan to visit more than 1 time, I recommend a yearly membership which costs 300 THB (~10 USD).
How to get there?
BTS
This is the most convenient way to come to the EmSphere. Get off the BTS skytrain at Prompong station. Simply walk towards the exit no. 6 using the skywalk and going down, and you will arrive at the entrance of the park.
MRT
If you stay in another location where MRT is more convenient for you, you can take MRT to Sukhumvit station. From here you can take the BTS skytrain from Asok to Prompong station, which is only 1 station and the cost should be 17 THB (~0.5 USD) per single ride per person.
