Bangkok Slides In Global Liveability Ratings

[george]

Bangkok slides in global liveability ratings

BANGKOK: -- Traffic congestion and pollution have pushed Bangkok from 102nd to 106th place in a global liveability survey of 215 cities recently published by a UK human resource consulting group.

The survey conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, in which cities were assessed according to criteria including crime rates, communications and education, showed that Bangkok was trailing way behind other Asian cities such as Singapore, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur, which were placed 34th, 35th and 75th respectively.

The publishers cited Bangkok's traffic congestion as its major problem, noting that it had an adverse impact on the overall economy.

This was particularly notable during the rush hour, when average traffic speeds were a crawling 16.6 kilometres per hour.

The survey also cited the growing trend among Bangkokians to eat fast food and takeaway meals, warning that this could pose a health risk.

According to Mr. Kittisak Sinthuvanich, the Deputy Secretary-General of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), Bangkokians are also facing a growing risk of suffering from preventable diseases, with cancer and high blood pressure being the two leading causes of death.

With several Bangkok residents regularly making commutes of over 3 hours each day, during which time they breathe in toxic vehicle fumes, rates of lung cancer are on the rise.

Mental health problems, meanwhile, appear to be soaring, with 587 cases of mental illness per 100,000 population in 2001 rising to 5,485 per 100,000 in 2003.

Mr. Kittisak noted, however, that in order to address the capital's problems, Bangkok's residents had to actively participate in finding solutions.

--TNA 2005-06-27

[sriracha john]

Mental health problems, meanwhile, appear to be soaring, with 587 cases of mental illness per 100,000 population in 2001 rising to 5,485 per 100,000 in 2003.

What is the percent increase for these numbers??

and this occured in just a 2 year period???

I knew BKK is a "crazy" place to live, but SHEESH!!

[thaibebop]

I hate reading reports like this. The wife and I will be moving to Bangkok in a few years and when read things like this I really worry about my children. I never know if these reports are blown up or played down. But, all the money is in town isn't, just another price to pay I guess?

[Buff-horns]

beats me how anyone could live there longtime. after a week my lungs are telling me "get the hellll out of here " !

[joinme2leave]

#106 out of 215 ???

imho, #199 sounds far more realistic....(whereas #200-215 must be India)

[Totster]

It's not surprising really...what do "they" expect when "they" introduce tougher controls on caffeine products...

totster

[TokyoT]

People are resistant to change. So saying that the people of Bangkok have to take an active role in changing things is a bit delusional. The only time the masses take an active role in changing anything is when things get so bad they have no alternative.

If the government really wanted to reduce traffic problems IMHO they need to do the following:

1) Start planning long term in regard to transportation related issues.

2) Do at least one of the following:

a. Make it more expensive to drive in Bangkok/Thailand

i. Raise the tax on gas

ii. Raise the toll fees

iii. Raise the license fees

iv. Increase the fees for traffic offenses

v. Tow the d*mn cars parked in non-parking area

b. Make it easier/ more convenient not to drive

i. Increase the reach of the subway, and skytrain system

ii. Improve the bus system

iii. Move all the freakn’ vendors off the sidewalks, fix the broken down sidewalks and let people actually use them to walk or ride a bike – at the very least this will give the motorbikes a better “roadway”

iv. Extend the skytrain and/or subway to the outskirts of Bangkok and build sufficient long term parking to allow people to park outside of Bangkok and use the mass transit system in Bangkok. In the short term this could be accomplished by making the actual plans for where the skytrain/subway station would be, build the parking lots, and use buses to transport the people from the parking lots to the nearest current skytrain/subway station.

3) Get rid of the Tuk-Tuks. They had their time and place and in Bangkok that time has come and gone, and Bangkok is no longer the place for Tuk-Tuks. Unlike motorcycle taxies they cannot weave thru traffic and therefore only tend to slow traffic and increase congestion. Additionally since they are not metered the chances of a tourist getting ripped off is increased and therefore also worse for Bangkok/Thailand than metered taxies. Beside a cultural aspect I can see little to no justification for allowing them to continue to add to the congestion.

4) Stop talking about the problem and start working to fix it

Also IMHO if the government really wants to reduce pollution there are a couple of items they can do almost immediately.

1) Buy some new freakn’ buses that don’t cough out plums of fumes.

2) Raise the requirements on car/truck exhaust and implement a yearly check for all vehicles to ensure they meet the requirements.

Yes some of these measures can have an economic impact - but how about the economic impact of all those people sitting in traffic for three hours every day – lost time and wasted fuel.

[hughden]

I lived and worked in BKK for six years. After four months I got bronchitis. The company doctor said that was normal for a new arrival and that my lungs would get used to it. He was right, after that I only caught bronchitis on an annual basis....

Getting home from worktook anything from 10 minutes to 1 hour; you never knew. Going anywhere by car was/is a nightmare.

But.... I loved living there, it's a vibrant place with great restaurants and shops and you see stuff every day that makes you smile.

[joinme2leave]

ii. Raise the toll fees

NO. If toll fee is raised traffic jam on cheap road will expand tremendously

v. Tow the d*mn cars parked in non-parking area

YES. agreed, including the vendors (if possible all weekdays, not only mondays as proposed recently)

iv. Extend the skytrain and/or subway to the outskirts of Bangkok and build sufficient long term parking to allow people to park outside of Bangkok and use the mass transit system in Bangkok. In the short term this could be accomplished by making the actual plans for where the skytrain/subway station would be, build the parking lots, and use buses to transport the people from the parking lots to the nearest current skytrain/subway station.

YES. Totally agree. Each single baht on raised taxes (private car usage - related) should be invested in such a infrastructure improvement. Though I doubt they will do so....

3) Get rid of the Tuk-Tuks. They had their time and place and in Bangkok that time has come and gone, and Bangkok is no longer the place for Tuk-Tuks. Unlike motorcycle taxies they cannot weave thru traffic and therefore only tend to slow traffic and increase congestion. Additionally since they are not metered the chances of a tourist getting ripped off is increased and therefore also worse for Bangkok/Thailand than metered taxies. Beside a cultural aspect I can see little to no justification for allowing them to continue to add to the congestion.

YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. YES. I would even be willing to "donate" some money in order to achieve this goal. E.g. paying 5% extra surcharge when using taxi meter vehicles or public (modern equipped , pollution-free) buses....

2) Raise the requirements on car/truck exhaust and implement a yearly check for all vehicles to ensure they meet the requirements.

YES. YES. YES. well said. How come I still do not believe these things will change within the next 20something years????

[Scott]

I've lived and worked in a lot of inconvenient places--extremely bad weather, including snow storms and war zones. Bangkok is comparable to the worst of them. I can't exactly figure out why I stay here, but in spite of all the troubles, I do like the place.

God, it would be a real paradise, if it improved.

[thaibebop]

Historically Thais have looked at outside help to improve things. How come they don't do such things now, with so many good exmaples from other cities and counties? I believe they have the money, imporve would be rapid, if only they would do it right.

[thohts]

<<How come they don't do such things now, with so many good exmaples from other cities and counties?>>

They could easily follow the example of Singapore, which was very similar to Bangkok just a few decades ago.

But, that would require good planning and dedication. Corruption gets in the way of that.

As long as there is continued corruption throughout Thailand, Bangkok will continue to slip down in the rankings until it looks like a nightmare from a post-apocalyptic movie. (Some parts already do.)

[Bilko]

I guess some people have to stay in Bangkok for work, I can't understand why anybody would choose to stay there.

Pattaya is also becoming a Traffic Nightmare.

Give me the countryside of Isaan anytime.