The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will host the 3rd annual Earth Hour 2010 to encourage households and businesses to switch off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour.

The 3rd Earth Hour is scheduled to take place on March 27, 2010 from 8:30 to 9:30 pm. Thai households and businesses are asked to turn off their lights along with other big cities around the world.

A list of 812 icons and landmarks worldwide will turn off their lights for Earth Hour, including:

Eiffel Tower, Paris;

Grand Palace, Bangkok;

Sky Tower, Auckland;

London Eye, London;

Piccadilly Circus, London;

Brandenburg Gate, Berlin;

Empire State Building, New York;

Burj Al Arab, Dubai;

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro;

El Ángel, Mexico City;

Trevi Fountain, Italy;

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe;

Forbidden City, Beijing;

Red Fort, Delhi;

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy; and

Big Ben, London

The main activity in Bangkok will be held at Central World Plaza, while the landmark venues will include the Grand Palace, Temple of the Dawn or Wat Arun, Rama VIII Bridge, Wat Suthat’s Giant Swing as well as six main streets in the capital  including Silom Road, Khaosan Road, Yaowarat Road, New Petchaburi Road and Ratchadamri Road.

Other provincial areas that will participate in this event will include Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Khon Kaen, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Pattaya City. The BMA, however, also requested cooperation from Chiang Mai Zoo, Suvarnabhumi Airport and other high-rise buildings for this undertaking.