The most relevant parts of that article ( a rai is 1600 square metres): The AGENCIES in charge of Dusit Zoo in Bangkok yesterday confirmed that there is a plan to move the zoo to another site in Pathum Thani province, but refused to divulge details or make any comments. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday granted the deed for 300-rai plot in the Klong Hok area of Pathum Thani’s Thanya Buri district, to be used for the new zoo and the new head office of the Zoological Organisation of Thailand. .... It has been reported that all animals in Dusit Zoo would be moved to the new zoo by 2019 at the earliest, because Dusit Zoo is too small for the increasing number of visitors.
So what will happen to the old Dusit Zoo site? Will it no longer house any animals? Also how far away is the Pathum Thani from downtown Beijing time-wise? I’m thinking about what effect distance might have on visitor numbers.
The current zoo is right in the middle of Bangkok and easy to reach by taxi or tuktuk but a bit inconvenient for tourists otherwise because it isn't particularly near the trains, and the buses in Bangkok are very confusing for tourists. Pathumthani is north of Bangkok (basically it is now part of Bangkok city). Depending on exactly where in the Khlong Hok area it would be, it can be reached by train easily enough - but because most tourists use taxis or tuktukts, the distance would probably be a deterrent due to cost.
To be precise: it is about the same distance from central Bangkok to Pathum Thani - N Bangkok as it would be from central Bangkok to the International Airport at Suvarnabhumi. BTW: Traffic in Bangkok is a nightmare with jams and hold ups increasing journey times as much as by an hour or more, especially so at crunch times. In principle, I do applaud a relocation of the zoo as at the present site it is frequently too difficult to improve some exhibits deserving of an update or complete renovation due to lack of available space (even though 18.88ha is quite a big space). This is particularly true of the hoofstock and primates. BTW: I am sure part and parcel of the whole relocation idea and project by ZPO is a direct result of competition and the quite nice settings at Khao Kheow Open Range Zoo and building on the Singapore Zoo and new zoo building companies springing up in the wake of Messrs. Harrison & Co.
There's a short news video from February on Youtube about how the plan to relocate is still under study (news in English).
So, just looking into this again because I was reminded of the closure recently: the zoo was scheduled to close at the end of August (i.e. last month) but this was postponed until the end of September (i.e. this month). Construction hasn't even started on the new site yet. All the animals from Dusit will be sent to other zoos in Thailand. From 8 August 2018: Dusit Zoo to close for good at the end of this month (quoted in separate parts below - go to the link for the whole article) Dusit Zoo posted the news on its Facebook account on Wednesday, announcing that Aug 31 will be the last day visitors will have to see the animals and enjoy the tranquil park atmosphere of the zoo at its current location, opposite the parliament building and near the royal palace. The construction of a new zoo has not yet begun. A consultant has been hired to survey the site and ensure the new zoological garden will be up to international standard, the zoo added. All the animals will be temporarily moved to any of six other zoos -- Khao Kheow in Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Songkhla, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen. From 24 August 2018: Dusit Zoo closing delayed until September 30 - The Nation As a gift t supporters of the Dusit Zoo the organisation behind the much-loved animal enclosure will delay its permanent shuttering in central Bangkok until September 30, the operation announced on Friday. the zoo was originally scheduled to close on August 3.
