Residents push for bold city action

Diverse community representatives have expressed their hopes for the incoming Bangkok governor, urging decisive action to address long-standing urban challenges.

Sanga Ruangwattanakul, president of the Khao San Road Business Association, said stricter management of sidewalks was needed. He called for proper regulation of street vendors, particularly in business and tourism districts.

Mr Sanga said the city administration should establish a transparent registration system for vendors and ensure permit holders are the actual operators of stalls.

"Authorities should stop relying on fines that do not solve the problem at its root," he said. "Street vending spaces in popular tourist areas are highly sought after. They should be reserved for people with low incomes who genuinely need them, not individuals who obtain permits only to sublease them at higher prices."

He said effective regulation would improve cleanliness in tourist areas and create additional revenue streams for City Hall that could be reinvested in tourism development and public services.

He also highlighted air quality as a pressing concern. He urged the next governor to take stronger action against PM2.5 pollution, saying the capital should be able to achieve cleaner air through strict enforcement of environmental regulations. "If people are encouraged to exercise in parks but still have to breathe polluted air, then those campaigns lose their meaning," he said.

Environmental advocate Alexander Rendell, also an actor and chief executive of the Environmental Education Centre Thailand, echoed concerns about pollution and waste management, describing them as public health issues rather than merely environmental ones.

"Clean air is a basic right," he said. "Some people can avoid pollution by staying indoors with air conditioning, but many others have no choice except to spend their days outside. That is why this issue should be among the city's highest priorities."

He said Bangkok needs a governor willing to confront difficult problems and focus on improving residents' quality of life rather than serving political interests.

Looking beyond immediate environmental concerns, he identified three major priorities for the city's future: corruption, education and environmental sustainability.

Corruption remains a significant obstacle to development, he said, because it undermines public trust and weakens the effectiveness of government projects. Education, meanwhile, forms the foundation for future generations, while greener public spaces and safer outdoor environments would encourage healthier lifestyles and greater community engagement.

Sompong Patpui, secretary-general of the Grassroots Development Foundation and a board member of the Duang Prateep Foundation, said many Bangkok governors have entered office with good intentions but have struggled to deliver results due to weaknesses in the administrative system.

"The governor cannot do everything alone," he said. "There must be a capable team to follow through on policies and ensure they reach the implementation stage. Otherwise, instructions disappear once they enter the bureaucracy."

Without effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms, promising policies often fail to produce tangible outcomes, he said. He also highlighted that several of Bangkok's chronic problems require structural solutions.

Among the most important are city planning, public participation and governance, he said. Urban planning decisions often involve competing interests, making reform difficult. However, poor planning affects everything from transport and housing to environmental management.

At the same time, residents must be given meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making processes. Governance and transparency are equally important, he added, noting persistent public complaints about procurement practices that lead to expensive yet low-quality projects.

Consumer rights advocate Narumol Mekborisut, deputy director of consumer protection at the Foundation for Consumers, pointed to the growing economic pressures facing Bangkok's urban poor.

She said many low-income residents, particularly elderly people, have become trapped in informal debt due to rising living costs, including food, transportation and housing expenses.

Ms Narumol also criticised shortcomings in public transport, saying that route reductions and inadequate bus services have increased commuting costs for many residents.

Some are forced to take multiple connections or rely on taxis when seeking medical treatment.

She called on the next governor to work with relevant agencies to improve transport links within neighbourhoods, particularly in smaller roads and residential communities where residents often lack convenient access to public transport.