The RoLD Fellows network unites efforts to develop "Forest Guardians" to transform Bangkok's lungs into Bang Kachao's green economy while promoting the PES model to generate community income.
On 6 Mar 2026, the RoLD Fellows network joined government agencies, private sector, and civil society to organize the "1 Day Trip: Lalla Economy, Discover Bang Kachao's Treasures" event at the Thai Fighting Fish Museum on 3 Mar 2026, to collaboratively design and develop the PES (Payment for Ecosystem Services) model under the project "Forest Guardians: Community Forest Protectors - PES Bang Kachao" which aims to create an environmental economic mechanism allowing communities to sustainably manage green spaces while generating income.
RoLD Fellows, or Rule of Law and Development Fellows, is a network of change leaders developed by the Thailand Institute of Justice (Public Organization) to empower leaders from various sectors to drive the country's development based on rule of law and sustainability through collaboration on key social, economic, and environmental issues.
This event gathered representatives from various organizations including the Thailand Institute of Justice (TIJ) led by Dr. Piset Saadyen; the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC); the Office for National Strategy and Reconciliation (ONSR); the Royal Forest Department; the French Development Agency (AFD); as well as private sector and civil society groups such as the Governance and Social-Environmental Institute (GSEI), Big Trees Foundation, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Taejai, 30x30 Thailand Coalition, RUBEA Center of Excellence in Regional, Urban & Built Environmental Analytics at Chulalongkorn University, and the Public Policy Institute at Chiang Mai University.
Key partner organizations and sponsors include Double A, Juang Pattana Holding, and TNP Group, collaborating to develop new management approaches for Bang Kachao's green spaces, which are recognized as "the green lungs of Bangkok." The core of the project is to promote the PES (Payment for Ecosystem Services) system, a concept where beneficiaries of ecosystem services—such as carbon absorption, PM2.5 reduction, biodiversity conservation, and urban green spaces—jointly support communities responsible for protecting natural resources.
This approach aims to shift the role of local people from merely forest watchers to "Conservation Entrepreneurs" who can earn income from managing green spaces while securing their livelihoods and land rights. During the knowledge exchange forum, Dr. Bundit Sethsiroj presented the concept "Bang Kachao Way: A Just Breath," highlighting that Bang Kachao should not be viewed solely as an urban resource but as a living home for local communities, with true development grounded in Climate Justice principles.
This concept emphasizes both fair benefit-sharing (Distributive Justice), ensuring communities receive compensation for natural resource stewardship, and recognition of community dignity (Recognition Justice) as vital partners in development.
In the afternoon, participants experienced community life through the activity "Lalla Economy" which is an economic concept connecting nature, culture, and ecotourism, including kayaking along the Pa Daek canal and learning traditional dessert making, visiting fruit orchards, studying solar-powered saline water management systems, as well as mini Forest and Sound Bath activities that deeply connect participants with nature.
Event organizers stated that the Forest Guardians: PES Bang Kachao project aims to become a model for urban green space management balancing environmental conservation, economic development, and community quality of life.
In the long term, this model could expand to other areas in Thailand to establish a green economy system where nature generates economic value while preserving ecosystems and communities, ensuring Bang Kachao remains a living natural heritage of the country.