The freedom to move: how Bangkok is improving its sidewalks

[webfact]

 

Bangkok is fully committed to transforming into a more pedestrian-friendly and healthier city, with City Hall and experts continuing their ongoing efforts to enhance sidewalks and associated infrastructure.

 

Wissanu Sapsompol, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, opened the recent Goodwalk Forum Thailand 2023 with a presentation on the strategic initiatives aimed at making Bangkok a city conducive to pedestrians. This forum marked a decade of the Goodwalk Thailand project, which was initiated by the Urban Design and Development Center (UDDC).

 

Recognising the needs of urban residents, Governor Chadchart Sittipunt’s administration has prioritised the renovation of sidewalks. Sidewalks play a vital role in improving mobility within the city, making it easier and more efficient for commuters to move from point A to point B.

 

City Hall’s popular “Traffy Fondue” app, introduced approximately 18 months ago, has received over 337,000 complaints, some 10 per cent related to issues with sidewalks. This app serves as an online platform for residents to report problems or shortcomings in city infrastructure or management.

 

Despite plans to expand the city’s rail network to cover more than 450 kilometres in Bangkok and surrounding areas by 2028, the key challenge remains the first and last mile, said Wissanu. To enhance mobility, sidewalks must not only be in good condition but also friendly to all pedestrians and wheelchair users.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-10-31

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[stoner]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

This forum marked a decade of the Goodwalk Thailand project

 

 

more like goodwhat project. the sidewalks are atrocious in places. 

[StayinThailand2much]

8 minutes ago, stoner said:

more like goodwhat project. the sidewalks are atrocious in places. 

 

Yes, not to mention motorbikes everywhere racing on the sidewalks, running one over if one doesn't jump to the side...

 

Sidewalk: what they call a 'pavement' in Britain, and a 'highway' in Thailand...

[OneMoreFarang]

It's time that they repair them and remove the obstacles.

If the traffic on the street is bad those sidewalks are always a welcome shortcut for us motorcycle riders. 😉 

[stoner]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

If the traffic on the street is bad those sidewalks are always a welcome shortcut for us motorcycle riders. 😉 

 

do you accept that it should be my god given right to close line you while you are doing so ? 

[OneMoreFarang]

4 minutes ago, stoner said:

do you accept that it should be my god given right to close line you while you are doing so ? 

I have no idea what that means.

And you forgot the important part: I will be faster than you. 😉

 

And before this gets too serious, above was written as a joke. The 😉 is an indicator for that. 

[Mavideol]

49 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

Yes, not to mention motorbikes everywhere racing on the sidewalks, running one over if one doesn't jump to the side...

 

Sidewalk: what they call a 'pavement' in Britain, and a 'highway' in Thailand...

or we could call it dirt(y) road  555

[connda]

50 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It's time that they repair them and remove the obstacles.

If the traffic on the street is bad those sidewalks are always a welcome shortcut for us motorcycle riders. 😉 

Sidewalks in Thailand:
Make "sidewalks."  Plant trees saplings that will become large trees in the middle, add street signs and utility boxes, erect signage for private business that span the entire width of the sidewalk, place pots and planters, construct a cement wall extending to the street in front of your business, place cones out into the street and rope from the wall to the cones, hang signs across sidewalk at eye level, thank the city for creating "off-street parking" in front of your business where you can park multiple vehicles including cars, trucks, and motorcycles, alternate roadway for motorcycles and cars.

Streets in Thailand:
A place where vehicles drive and pedestrians walk.

[Rimmer]

Off topic post removed please see our Community Standards

[Shop mak]

TikTok has 100's of videos posted last 30 days from Bangkok, removing anything on the sidewalks.

 

Also removed all kinds of items that block free parking on the street (put there by shop owners)

[WhatMeWorry]

Thailand is a corrupt third world country, nothing ever changes in this country.

[SuwadeeS]

As long they don't punish all the Million motorcycle driver, who use the sidewalk as their lane. I don't believe anything!!!

[klauskunkel]

from the article:

Quote

to ensure that Bangkok’s sidewalks are indeed accessible to all

Well, the problem is that the sidewalks are indeed accessible to all!

[twizzian]

Does the transform include the black spaghetti above the sidewalks..

[Stocky]

Good luck fixing the numerous footbridge 'solutions', this one on Withayu junction with Pleonchit.

 

[mfd101]

On the 100m walk from my Asoke hotel to Benjakiti Park for my daily walk when I'm in BKK there's a lamppost in a narrow part of the footpath with a large (6"+) bolt sticking out of it, pointing in towards pedestrians and exactly at adult eye height.

 

I first noticed it when we were living in BKK in 2013. I wondered then how long it would be till it was fixed.

 

It was still there last April.

[Dionigi]

I remember, 30 years ago, police arresting chairs and tables on Pattaya pavements, they were all back within a week. Unless a concerted and prolonged effort is used nothing will ever change. Maybe huge taxes for businesses using the pavements will help the situation.

[rudi49jr]

Maybe first make sure the air that the people using those sidewalks are breathing is a little cleaner. 

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I have no idea what that means.

Clothesline:

 

 

[Fortunateson]

Thought the article was an early April Fool’s joke

[Jorn T]

At the same time don't forget the overhead signs.

[LatPhrao]

Complaining the endlessly broken and unprepared sidewalks of Bangkok and hoping for a change?    Like a Monty Python sketch:  " Oh, we used to dream of livin' in a corridor! Would ha' been a palace to us. We used to live in an old water tank on a rubbish tip. We got woke up every morning by having a load of rotting fish dumped all over us! House? Huh."          Add to that no trash cans to be found on the streets..  Although just of late someone has been, accidentally I'm sure, leaving a few here and there.

 

[Purdey]

Those small tiles are the worst. Ankles twisting in opposite directions at every step. I don't know what is the solution as every now and then a different vendor supplies new tiles and they are wobbly within weeks.

[Jonathan Swift]

4 hours ago, stoner said:

 

 

more like goodwhat project. the sidewalks are atrocious in places. 

I dunno where you hide yourself but everywhere I go in Bangkok since last year I see renovation and new tiles being installed on major sidewalks. I was actually quite surprised and impressed. So, yes the sidewalks are bad in places, but the work is being done. Is that not good enough?

[bizboi]

3 hours ago, stoner said:

 

do you accept that it should be my god given right to close line you while you are doing so ? 

Or even “clothesline”!!

[findlay13]

5 hours ago, Shop mak said:

TikTok has 100's of videos posted last 30 days from Bangkok, removing anything on the sidewalks.

 

Also removed all kinds of items that block free parking on the street (put there by shop owners)

I remember 20 yrs ago they did the same in Pattaya.A week later all the stuff on the pavement was back😆

[Mingomania]

Thailand has never been handicap friendly...

[geisha]

I find Bangkok pavements and crossing a road in Bangkok much better /safer than in Pattaya or Phuket for example. The main tourist beach road with the 5* Boathouse Hotel and access to beach and all the restaurants has no pavements at all ! Racing traffic , You take your life in your hands there, and imagine tourists with a stroller or wheelchair, impossible.

[stoner]

24 minutes ago, Jonathan Swift said:

I dunno where you hide yourself but everywhere I go in Bangkok since last year I see renovation and new tiles being installed on major sidewalks. I was actually quite surprised and impressed. So, yes the sidewalks are bad in places, but the work is being done. Is that not good enough?

 

i'm sure that work is holding up quite well too. or odds are it is probably dilapidated already. i could probably post dozens of pics of thai workmanship for you. 

[Bangkok Barry]

10 minutes ago, Mingomania said:

Thailand has never been handicap friendly...

I have a friend who has travelled the world with his wheelchair, and he told me that Bangkok was, by far, the worst city he had ever been in for the handicapped. I've read over the years that Thais care little for the handicapped as it is believed they must have done something bad in a previous life to deserve their situation so in turn deserve nothing now.