THAILAND

Researchers at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, have evolved a Clean Dream project that aims to turn the university campus into a pollution free zone. "Chulalongkorn suffers from a lot of air and noise pollution because it is located in the middle of the city,' said Soontorn Boonyathikarn, who heads the project. The project will be implemented in four phases. The first phase will involve construction of three external parking facilities, with a capacity of 5,000 cars. At present, the university has limited parking space and people have to drive around to find parking space. This results in fuel wastage and increases pollution. The second phase involves the construction of a tunnel under Phya Thai road, which now divides the university into two.

Under the third phase, a rail system would be introduced. The final phase would include the extension of the rail system to link the university with Ban Tad Thong road. "It would take five years for the whole project to be completed,' Boonyathikarn said. The project is feasible and cost-effective with a payback period of seven years, he added.