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Bangkhunthian Rakthale Bridge Rak Thalay Bangkhun Thian bridge (Thai: สะพานรักษ์ทะเลบางขุนเทียน, สะพานฟ้า, pronounced [S̄aphān rạk thale bāngk̄huntheīyn]) is a tourist attraction and a natural preservation site located at Bang Khun Thian-Chai Thalae road (Bang Khun Thian side viewing road), Tha Kham district in Bangkok, Thailand. On 23 September 2020, Bangkok authorities opened Rak Thalay Bangkhun Tian Bridge and mangrove planting area, aiming to reduce the impact of the erosion of the Gulf of Thailand. The sea view bridge is a tourist attraction surrounded by 372,800 square meters of a Mangrove forest. The site offers open-air public space, a grocery store, and a local village. In order to get to the bridge, the visitor has to cross the Phitayakorn River, following the blue bike trail for 4 kilometers in the distance for one-way traveling. Lots of activities are allowed here such as cycling, walking, jogging, and sightseeing. Pets are allowed to enter, but the owners must have them on a leash or a cartwheel all the time. By the entrance, there is also a parking lot and a rental shop provided for optional renting bicycles or electric bikes. The bridge opens daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The way of transportation is not quite varied, and the most recommended is individual vehicles.

History
Police general Asawin Kwanmuang, the former Bangkok governor presided over the opening ceremony of the crossing bridge between Pittayalongkorn Canal, Tha Kham district, Bangkok on 23 September 2021

The Rak Thalay Bang Khun Thian or ‘the love for the Bang Khun Thian sea’ in English meaning was named by a 14-year-old boy named Napat Kornthong, a primary school student from Rattanakosin Sompoch Bang Khun Thian School, and later he was prized for 10,000 baths. This name was selected due to the reason that the committee prefers names related to places or tourist attractions. Rak Thalay Bang Khun Thian not only promotes itself by name but also reflects the main identity of the Bang Khun Thian Sea Mangrove Forest study route and local villages too.

Also, the Europa motor company supports the funding in the amount of 100,000 baht, the Land and House Company 50,000 baht, the Bang Bon supercenter company 20,000 baht, the Itoki Furniture Center 10,00 baht, the Lila Fishing Company Limited Partnership for the amount of 10,000 baht to the Pluk Pha Nai Jai Kon Tham Sart Phara Cha foundation (the Reforestation in the Hearts of People according to royal Science Foundation)

According to the information from 2021, 220 Rai of Mangrove forests were reforested by 176,000 mangrove saplings resulting in the increase of soil surface by 20 - 85 centimeters.

Activities
1) Bicycle and electric bicycle riding

2) Natural appreciation

3) Local cultural excursion

4) Ecology observing: plantation, ecology, marine, and mangrove animals

5) sea sightseeing

6) Photo taking

7) Jogging

8) Mangrove forest sapling

Rak Thalay Bangkhun Thian bridge (Place)
Rak Thalay Bangkhun Thian Bridge opened in August 2021, and it has accomplished the aim of restoring the Bang Khun Thian mangrove forest to be a natural barrier that protects the land along the river bank from ocean wave erosion. Moreover, it also serves local people and tourists for public purposes such as the Mangrove forest study trail, the transportation route, and the sea sightseeing path. The bridge is considered a significant place for Bang Khun Thian district as Bang Khun Thian is the only district of Bangkok that has a connected land to the sea.

Natural Preservation Trail
For the purpose of education and accommodation for tourists, students, and local people Bangkok Metropolitan Administration incorporates the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning to plot the walk trail and bike trail. Not only get engaged closer to the Mangrove ecology system, but people can also do deep animal research and observation.

The sound of the motor boat from the local fishermen, the rinse of sea sunlight leap along the shade of a tree tunnel, the tiny pavilion waiting after the tree tunnel, and lastly, the stunning sea view awaits in front of the visitors at the destination. The wooden bridge from 2012 which now it was turned into a cement bridge stretching toward the ocean. Standing alone on the sea surface, the bridge is the only nearest sightseeing spot that allows visitors to observe the sea birds flying around the coast.

Rental vehicles shops
From the parking lot entrance across the Rak Thalay Bang Khun Thian bridge, there are local shops on the side of the 173 Bang Khun Thian Chai Thalay road where they provide rent of vehicles such as bicycles and electric bikes. For a whole day's price, a bicycle costs rent for 40 baths while an electric bike costs around 200 baths. There will be instructors who demonstrate how to use an electric bike, and we can also take a demonstration ride at the parking lots.

Parking Lots
There is a medium size parking lot on 173 Bang Khun Thian Chai Thalay Road which can support around 15 personal cars and a small size parking lot in front of the bridge entrance which can support no more than 5 personal cars.

Local community
The route is located in between the local community, so we can observe the scenery of local people living routine and the raised-up residences located along the coastline. Locals mostly travel via motorbike, bike, and foot, as the road trail is quite narrower than the car to reach. Some villagers also turn their residences into income sources by making a co-existence of house areas and commercial storage areas. Along the trail from the entrance to the nature trail and residence alleys, there are lots of local shops like grocery stores, where they sell snacks and drinks.

Sea Pavilion
At the destination, a standing cement pavilion on the water's surface with the scenery of Thai Bay is a final spot. The pavilion is a medium size one with a stage located in the middle for the affair or ceremonial purposes. The floor is painted with realistic marine and mangrove animals such as a mudskipper, a seabass, a mangrove crab, etc.

Mangrove sapling areas
Before reaching the Sea pavilion, alongside the bridge there is a bamboo pathway leading to the Mangrove Forest planting area. While there is a bamboo pole submerged in the wetlands in order to support the strand of the mangrove sapling.

Monuments
There are also monuments such as the Porng Thong (A wooden dolphin sculpture) standing in front of the information center around the entrance. Around 1.5 kilometers, you will spot the Chao Mae Phaya Ngu Shrine (A godmother snake shrine) which was founded by the locals in the past to expel the bad lucks. Since the Burmese laborers who respond to the bridge construction killed a snake for food, there were lots of bad incidents that happened after. As the locals believed that they had triggered the forest spirit, they built up a shrine to apologize to the spirit. Finally, in the middle of the trail, there is a rainbow windmill as a photo-taking spot.

Information centers
There are 2 information centers along the trail. The first one is the small information center, located at the entrance and the second is the Mangrove Forest learning center, located midway before entering the mangrove trails.

Transportation
Rak Thalay Bang Khun Thian Bridge is located at 173 Bangkhuntian-Chai Thale Road, Tha Kham, Bangkhuntian, Bangkok 10150.

The most recommended way of traveling is to take a personal car or taxi service as the closest train station is Thonburi station of a traditional Thai train and the dark green BTS line is 28 kilometers away from the bridge. Public buses or Thai minivans cannot reach the bridge either.