Anucha sets out five-point plan for city

Democrat Party candidate for Bangkok governor Anucha Burapachaisri has unveiled a five-point platform to tackle traffic congestion, waste management, public health, economic opportunities and government transparency, while insisting his campaign remains competitive despite trailing rivals in recent opinion polls.

Speaking in a special interview with the Bangkok Post ahead of Sunday's gubernatorial election, Mr Anucha said his vision for Bangkok centres on five themes: "Convenient Travel, Clean City, Comfortable Living, Higher Incomes and Full Transparency".

He said the policies address residents' daily concerns and could be implemented immediately if he is elected governor alongside Democrat-backed members of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (BMC).

Transportation is among his top priorities. Mr Anucha proposed transferring responsibility for Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) bus services to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), arguing that the city currently lacks the authority to respond effectively to commuters' needs.

Under the plan, bus routes would be redesigned and integrated with other transport systems. He also proposed a feeder network to ensure residents are within 100 metres of a public transport connection, using small vehicles in narrow alleys, minibuses on secondary roads and electric buses on major routes.

The candidate also pledged to deploy artificial intelligence to manage Bangkok's traffic-light network, allowing signals to adjust in real time to improve traffic flow.

Canal transport services would be expanded and integrated into the wider transport network. Mr Anucha also endorsed the government's common ticketing initiative and a flat 40-baht fare, saying a unified system would allow seamless travel across buses, trains and boats.

Under his "Clean City" agenda, Mr Anucha pledged to overhaul Bangkok's waste management system through a fully enclosed collection and disposal process.

He said waste treatment facilities in On Nut, Nong Khaem and Sai Mai still suffer from operational shortcomings that affect nearby communities.

The Democrat candidate also called for stricter waste separation measures, with food waste, plastics, metals and glass collected on designated days to encourage recycling. He further advocated replacing landfill disposal with waste-to-energy projects, arguing that Bangkok must pursue long-term solutions despite the high investment required.

On healthcare and quality of life, Mr Anucha said Bangkok's nearly 70 public health centres should be upgraded with additional doctors and nurses to reduce pressure on major hospitals.

He also proposed expanding telemedicine services and investing in more elderly-care facilities to reduce waiting lists for nursing homes.

The candidate further proposed converting unused public and private land into community spaces, including art galleries, cultural venues and recreational areas.

On economic development, Mr Anucha pledged continued support for street food vendors, saying district offices should determine vending zones based on local conditions rather than applying uniform citywide regulations.

Registered vendors would be required to display QR codes identifying them as legitimate operators, while subleasing of vending permits would be prohibited.

Mr Anucha also proposed creating a database of senior citizens' skills and expertise, enabling retirees to participate in city projects, assist tourists and earn supplemental income.

In addition, he plans to consolidate all BMA digital services into a single platform, allowing residents to access information on city services, tourist attractions, air quality, flooding, water levels and CCTV feeds through a single sign-on system.

The final pillar of his platform focuses on transparency. Mr Anucha said the BMA should adopt the "Song Rat" procurement-monitoring platform to scrutinise municipal spending and identify irregularities in public projects.

Despite trailing in opinion polls, Mr Anucha expressed confidence in his chances, noting that he had previously won two parliamentary elections despite never leading in surveys.

"Polls do not decide elections. The people do," he said.

He urged voters to judge candidates on their ability to solve problems such as traffic congestion, flooding, waste management and air pollution.

"We need a clear vision for Bangkok's future," he said.

"Our goal is not simply to manage day-to-day problems but to deliver lasting solutions that create opportunities, hope and a better quality of life for all residents."