After one year, how is governor Chadchart’s promise of a liveable Bangkok shaping up?

[webfact]

 

In his first year as Bangkok governor, Chadchart Sittipunt has mobilized his city administration to tackle various micro issues in the capital but failed to deliver the tangible changes Bangkokians were hoping for.

 

A survey conducted by the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) from May 24-30 shows Bangkok residents are still largely satisfied with Chadchart’s performance, citing his hard work and dedication to the job.

 

However, the survey found that Bangkokians “dissatisfied” with his efforts had grown from 7.93% six months ago to 10% on the first anniversary of his Bangkok tenure. City residents who were “somewhat dissatisfied” had also risen, from 10.54% six months ago to 14.80% now.

 

What has Chadchart done?

 

Chadchart says his city administration has attended to both mega projects and micro efforts in its push to improve the lives of Bangkokians at community level.

 

“We have already addressed more than 190 micro issues,” the Bangkok governor said recently. During his election campaign, his team came up with 216 micro policies to implement. Progress on this front has duly been significant.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/after-one-year-how-is-governor-chadcharts-promise-of-a-liveable-bangkok-shaping-up/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-06-09

 

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[stoner]

this sounds like a whole lot of micro bs. 

[John Drake]

Quote

We are dredging drainage pipes, improving educational services, installing more lights in public areas, enhancing footpaths, and burying communication cables underground.

Not in my part of town. How about taking some emergency air pollution measures as well?

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“We have already addressed more than 190 micro issues,” the Bangkok governor said recently. During his election campaign, his team came up with 216 micro policies to implement. Progress on this front has duly been significant.

People can't see micro stuff... 

[rwill]

Actually it sounds like most people are happy with the job he is doing.  Those dissatisfied numbers are very low.

 

Or they are just used to politicians making promises they don't keep.  Like how many times in the past have they promised to fix traffic in Bangkok in 6 months?

[newnative]

Just in BKK part-time so maybe the results are more visible to full-time residents.  One year is a short period.  I do think he is doing the best he can and I admire him.

[fallup88]

5 hours ago, John Drake said:

Not in my part of town. How about taking some emergency air pollution measures as well?

How do you propose a Bangkok governor fix air pollution that is caused by burning in the north and partly the weather? I think it’s a hard fix unless the the governors up north tackles the burning problem in their own provinces.

 

Other than that, I think this current governor is the most active in public tackling big and small problems. Some things are still out of reach and his power to fix, but it seems like he is fixing what’s within his reach for the most part of it.

[new2here]

5 hours ago, hotchilli said:

People can't see micro stuff... 

I agree.

 

I think when it comes to these kinds of positions, how a voter sees them is very much “front and center” or what’s been done that’s both tangible to that voter and what’s also been impactful.

 

So, while I’m sure 200+ micro projects have been done, they are just that - micro projects 

 

but… i ALSO think that despite being “micro” they’re still political “wins” that the government can show off as successes 

 

I myself don’t see this kind of political position as one who can or will score the “big” win so to speak — rather they will hit a string of successive, smaller community-level wins … and in the aggregate will make him/her popular. 

[bamnutsak]

His greatest ability seems to be "being seen" getting about the city and meeting with individuals. That's a plus. 

 

He can't really get anything done though. Just not a lot of power.

 

Be nice if he could resolve the BTS Green Line issue, the BMA owes the BTS ~ 50 Billion baht. IMO no Bangkok Governor should run or take office without a plan to deal with this issue.

 

And that sort of debt will only increase as more lines open, and fares remain too low.

 

The national government needs to subsidize public transport.

 

 

[billd766]

On 6/9/2023 at 1:08 PM, John Drake said:

Not in my part of town. How about taking some emergency air pollution measures as well?

Bangkok covers an area of 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi), ranking 69th among the other 76 provinces of Thailand.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=area+of+bangkok&sxsrf=APwXEdd-gJcu4bsaueLJ4-guYKlY1Hw2cg%3A1686465649380&source=hp&ei=cWyFZPCNFZSloASEwaDgAw&iflsig=AOEireoAAAAAZIV6gQ_O6jfjFgdV8dX26-yrD9RCVpN3&oq=area+of+Bangkok&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYADIKCAAQgAQQRhD7ATIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBYQHjoECCMQJzoHCCMQigUQJzoICAAQigUQkQI6EQguEIAEELEDEIMBEMcBENEDOgsILhCABBCxAxCDAToOCC4QgAQQsQMQxwEQ0QM6CAguEIAEELEDOgsIABCABBCxAxCDAToFCAAQgAQ6CwgAEIoFELEDEJECOggILhCKBRCRAjoLCAAQigUQsQMQgwE6CAgAEIAEELEDOgUILhCABDoICAAQFhAeEApQAFizOWD7xARoAHAAeACAAY0BiAH_C5IBAzcuOJgBAKABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

 

Within one year of Chadchart taking over as governor he has had to stop the slow decline of Bangkok. kick every department of the BMA in its collective azz. make them do the job that are paid to do, and reverse decades of decline.

 

Quite frankly, I am surprised that he has managed to achieve as much as he has in the year.

 

As for 

 

quote "We are dredging drainage pipes, improving educational services, installing more lights in public areas, enhancing footpaths, and burying communication cables underground."

 

How many different departments and agencies for example would be involved in burying cables underground? I can think of AIS, DTAC, True, True TV, every other cable company. The MEA as well. Then you need to add the department that does the planning, the department that gets the permissions, the department that actually does the work, then get them all in the same place at the same time to actually DO the work from start to finish in all 1,568.7 square kilometres.

 

Whilst it may not be happening in your part od the town, it may well be happening elsewhere in the city.

 

 

[billd766]

On 6/9/2023 at 1:39 PM, hotchilli said:

People can't see micro stuff... 

They can if the micro stuff is local to them.