An aerial concept rendering of the proposed Chao Phraya River Pedestrian Bridge, a walk-and-cycle crossing and potential new urban landmark. (Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration)

On today’s fashionable Song Wat Road, where century-old shophouses have lately been reborn as cafes and design studios and the Chao Phraya River slips quietly past, a bridge exists – for now – only on paper.

For Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, however, the proposed pedestrian bridge linking Song Wat in Bangkok’s Old Town area to the Klong San district on the Thon Buri side is far more than an architectural sketch.

It is part of a broader ambition to redefine how Bangkok is experienced, remembered and navigated, by both residents and visitors.

Few people realise that shortly after winning the 2022 gubernatorial election, Mr Chadchart assigned Chulalongkorn University to study and design the project.

The work has continued quietly throughout his term, driven by a belief that Bangkok needs a new global landmark.

The proposal calls for a pedestrian- and bicycle-only bridge spanning the Chao Phraya River, linking the Phra Nakhon side at the former Sawasdee Pier on Song Wat Road in Samphanthawong district with the Thon Buri side at the former Wat Thong Thammachart Pier in Klong San district.

Both piers closed years ago, their relevance fading even before the pandemic as commuters gravitated toward more accessible nearby piers.

Strategically, the bridge would sit between the Phra Pok Klao Bridge and the King Taksin Bridge, both major road crossings, creating a long-missing human-scale connection between the two sides of the river.

The project has three clear objectives: to create a new non-religious landmark for Bangkok, to extend tourism from Song Wat and Yaowarat across to Thon Buri, and to generate additional tourism-related economic activity.

If realised, it would become Bangkok’s second pedestrian bridge designed specifically for walking and recreation across the Chao Phraya.

The first, the Chao Phraya Sky Park, opened in 2020 during the tenure of former governor Pol Gen Aswin Kwanmuang.

That project famously repurposed an abandoned concrete structure from the ill-fated elevated train project of the 1980s into a popular elevated walkway.

The Song Wat–Klong San bridge, however, would be fundamentally different.

It is not a recycled relic, but an entirely new structure built from scratch, and designed from the outset to function as a contemporary symbol of the capital city.

Early concept studies suggest a span of more than 300 metres, a width of at least six metres, and a height comparable to existing road bridges.

The design places piers on the riverbanks only, leaving the river channel unobstructed. Depending on the final design, the cost is expected to run into the billions of baht.

Although the bridge does not yet have a name, Mr Chadchart is keen to see it realised, even if construction begins after his term ends.

Under current plans, the design and budget approval process through the Bangkok Council could allow work to start around 2028, with completion projected for 2030.

Hope and caution

Among residents and business owners, sentiment is largely hopeful, though tempered by concerns over cost and long-term viability.

Den Muangsen, who has lived in the area for more than a decade, sees the bridge as a natural extension of Yaowarat’s economic expansion.

"The economy around Yaowarat has grown a lot, and Song Wat has benefited as a secondary commercial area," he said. "But the Thon Buri side is still quiet. It should be developed more."

For Mr Den, the appeal is also personal. "If this bridge really happens, and it’s only for pedestrians and exercise – no cars – it will be great," he said.

"People can walk or work out without worrying about traffic. The elderly could come in the morning or evening. Three hundred metres isn’t too long. You can go back and forth if you want more exercise."

Exercising above the river, he added, would be a rare luxury in a city short on public space. "Right now, I have to go to Lumpini Park. If this bridge is built, I wouldn’t need to anymore."

Others imagine the bridge as a visual icon.

Mr Den even suggested a dragon-inspired design, arguing it could become a signature nighttime landmark, provided safety and management are properly addressed.

Nearby, Sianglim Sae Ko, a noodle shop owner, said the area around the former Sawasdee Pier has struggled for years. A pedestrian bridge, he believes, could bring life back to a forgotten corner of the city.

"People mostly come here at night for food," he said. "With a bridge, they might come during the day too, walk across to Thonburi, and experience a different cultural atmosphere."

Foreign tourists, he noted, are especially fond of walking. "This would give them more options. During festivals like Loy Krathong or New Year, it could be a place to enjoy the celebrations and fireworks without being crushed by crowds."

Still, not everyone is convinced. Another resident, who declined to give her name, questioned whether the investment would deliver lasting returns.

"The government must promote it and organise activities," she said. "If it’s just built and left there, it could easily be abandoned."

For Mr Chadchart, the challenge extends beyond concrete and steel to coordination, between city planners, tourism authorities, local communities and national agencies. If successful, the Song Wat pedestrian bridge could offer Bangkok something it has long lacked: a landmark defined not by monuments or motorways, but by people crossing a river on foot, reclaiming the city step by step.