Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is confident that Bangkok can become one of the world’s 50 most liveable cities by 2027.
Speaking at the Bangkok Post Forum on the Vision of Bangkok 2023 as part of “THAILAND READY: Moving onto the Next Chapter” on Wednesday, the capital’s governor called for cooperation from all parties to reach that goal.
Mr. Chadchart explained that Bangkok is the world’s most visited city but ranks 98th on the list of most liveable places.
Therefore, his goal is to make the capital a livable city for all through nine policies. The plan was developed to improve management in terms of environment, health, public safety, mobility, economy, infrastructure, creativity, education, and city governance.
However, the governor clarified that improving the city in the future does not involve megaprojects but actions that allow people – including locals, newcomers, and visitors – to live happily and comfortably.
While local authorities have invested heavily in infrastructure and upgraded at least 11 rapid transit lines, efforts have not been enough to connect commuters to those services from their homes or offices, he added.
Therefore, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) plans to add feeder buses and more motorcycle taxis to improve mass transit services.
Mr. Chadchart also addressed littering problems, saying that waste was still piling up on some streets awaiting collection even though Bangkok had invested in large incinerators in the Nong Khaem and On Nut areas.
As the situation creates hygiene problems and increases the risks of waste clogging drainage systems, the BMA plans to launch a pilot project to encourage people to separate waste.
The project will target people living in Phaya Thai, Pathum Wan, and Nong Khaem districts, hoping to reduce garbage in landfills.
Mr. Chadchart also revealed that the BMA had four mega water tunnels between 5 and 13.5 kilometers to address drainage problems to prevent flooding in Don Muang, Ratchadaphisek-Suthisan, Suan Luang Rama, and Rama IX-Ramkhamhaeng.
However, drainage systems coming from houses or along the streets were still clogged. Therefore, the BMA should not only focus on investing in megaprojects but also on small initiatives that may not need huge investments, the governor added.
Mr. Chadchart also encouraged people to use the Traffy Fondue app, developed by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)’s National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Nectec) to report issues related to the city’s facilities.
According to the governor, the app helps the city handle many problems with minimal investment and has helped solve more than 50% of them.
