It's been nine years since Bangkokians were able to use their voices to elect a governor of their choice. The time has come, for us to vote in the hope of a better Bangkok. However, if you're still on the fence or in the dark about the candidates and their key policies, allow Guru to shine some light on the six leading candidates, according to the Nida poll.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn
No. 1
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn is running under the Move Forward party with the slogan "A city where people are equal".
1. Management:
- Transparent management without corruption.
- Managing funds according to the voice of the people to eliminate the "patronage" system.
2. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Elevate the quality of footpaths.
- Convert unused spaces into public parks.
- Dredge more pipes and canals all over the city to alleviate flooding problems.
- Create 10,000 quality housing units.
3. Education:
- Improve the educational system.
- Improve the quality of childcare centres.
4. Management of solid waste:
- Raise garbage collection fees for large department stores and use the funds to improve household garbage collection.
5. Transportation:
- Decrease transportation fees to decrease the cost of living.
- Object to the concession extension of BTS skytrain.
6. Healthcare:
- Free vaccinations for all illnesses.
- Allow Bangkokians access to standard healthcare more comprehensively.
- Reduce difficulty in transferring patients.
7. Eldercare, childcare and care for the disabled:
- Increase welfare money for the elderly to B1,000 per month.
- Increase welfare money for children to B1,200 per month.
- Increase welfare money for the disabled to B1,200 per month.
Sakoltee Pattayakul
No. 3
Sakoltee Pattayakul, former deputy governor and an independent candidate is running with the slogan "Bangkok can be improved".
1. Management:
- Enact a transparent management system.
2. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Install more CCTV cameras.
- Improve water drainage.
- Create at least one public park per district.
3. Education:
- Improve the quality of all schools under the BMA by increasing bilingual programmes to promote studying in schools that are near the children's residences with free quality school meals.
4. Transportation:
- Improve public transport systems to decrease the usage of personal cars by putting in place more EV buses and boats and extending the BTS lines.
5. Healthcare:
- Smart clinics and telemedicine will be implemented and 11 hospitals under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) will be improved.
6. Eldercare, childcare, and care for the disabled:
- Enhance safety for the elderly.
- Enhance safety for the disabled.
- Promote the employment of the disabled.
7. Economy and tourism:
- Create walking streets in all 50 districts.
- Promote street food culture without affecting pedestrians.
Suchatchavee Suwansawas
No.4
An engineering expert, Suchatchavee Suwansawas is running under the Democrat party, with the slogan "Change Bangkok, we can do it!".
1. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Fix issues such as inundation, traffic jams, building collapsing and air pollution.
- Install 150,000 Wi-Fi spots all over the city.
- Install smart utility poles which comprise CCTV and air quality monitors.
- Create pocket parks in unused areas around Bangkok.
2. Education:
- Improve the quality of schools under the BMA.
- Add trilingual programmes to promote the learning of a third language.
- Employ nutritionists to oversee school meals.
3. Management of solid waste:
- Install garbage ATMs to promote recycling.
- Revamp the garbage collection system to be more efficient.
4. Transportation:
- Create sky bicycle lanes under expressways and connect them to other transportation systems to promote usage of bicycles.
5. Healthcare:
- Add more modern medical tools to healthcare centres.
- Provide services from specialist doctors at healthcare centres three days a week.
6. Eldercare, childcare and care for the disabled:
- Promote the employment of the elderly.
- Provide free breakfasts for childcare centres.
7. Economy and tourism:
- Hold 12 world-class festivals and 50 district festivals to promote tourism and the economy.
8. Green policy:
- Use EV buses to reduce PM2.5 dust.
- Install PM2.5 detectors in 2,000 spots all over Bangkok.
Asawin Kwanmuang
No. 6
After five years being Bangkok governor, Asawin Kwanmuang is back for more, hopefully, to be fairly elected this time around. He's here independently with the slogan "Bangkok must move on".
1. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Continue to work on his project to fix flood problems.
- Increase public security and safety by changing CCTV cameras and improving the quality of crosswalks.
- Reshape Bangkok into a digital city to allow quick and equal access to government services.
2. Education:
- Improve education in both academic and practical professional areas.
3. Transportation:
- Connect the commuting systems (buses, trains and boats) for more seamless travelling and convenience for commuters.
4. Healthcare:
- Improve the health of people in the capital and improve the quality of the medical system.
5. Green policy:
- Improve the city's environment.
- Decrease the effects of global warming by increasing green spaces.
Rosana Tositrakul
No. 7
The former senator, Rosana Tositrakul is running independently under the slogan "No corruption, Bangkok will change".
1. Management:
- Divide funds of B50 million to 50 districts for the people to manage according to their needs.
2. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Dredge canals to drain water as a way to reduce the risk of inundation in 1,600 canals all over Bangkok.
- Promote the usage of solar roofs in households to reduce the cost of electricity by up to B500 per month.
- Add 1.5 million CCTV cameras.
3. Management of solid waste:
- Revamp the solid waste management system.
4. Transportation:
- Suspend BTS concession and reduce ticket prices to B20 for the entire route.
- Increase ways of transportation in the rivers and canals.
5. Healthcare:
- Give out free fah talai jone and other Thai herbal medicine to facilitate aid living with Covid-19.
- Improve 69 healthcare centres into 24-hour hospitals.
6. Eldercare, childcare and care for the disabled:
- Implement a pension of B3,000 per month per pensioner.
7. Green policy:
- Decrease the fees for train systems to decrease pollution.
Chadchart Sittipunt
No.8
The very memeable former transport minister is running independently under the slogan "Nine good things about Bangkok".
1. Management:
- Manage budget allocations according to the will of the people.
- -Allow the people to evaluate district directors and governors.
- Create technology volunteers to help the people of Bangkok access technology.
2. Infrastructure and urban planning:
- Improve 1,000km of footpath.
- Improve Infrastructure in the suburbs.
- Diffuse employment from the city centre to the suburbs.
- Dredge canals and install high-quality water pumps in areas at risk of flooding.
- Arrange appropriate garbage and cleaning zones for street vendors.
3. Education:
- Open schools for playing or learning during holidays and weekends.
- Alter school schedules to fit with parents' schedules.
- Increase bilingual programmes and implement the use of technology to increase the quality of education.
- Improve childcare centres near communities.
- Free tuition and uniforms.
- Employ more qualified personnel as teachers.
- Digitise public libraries in Bangkok, allowing borrowing books online and reading e-books from anywhere.
4. Transportation:
- Install an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) to alleviate traffic jam problems.
- Increase safe bicycle parking spots.
5. Healthcare:
- Create a system whereby all patient history is shared between hospitals under the BMA for more convenient care and transfer of patients all over Bangkok.
- Increase resources for health service centres.
- Implement telemedicine to send medical help to homes in need.
- Expand the 10,000-bed hospital project into communities all over the capital.
- Improve the capability of healthcare volunteers, transforming them into quality caregivers.
- Increase exercise areas in 180 zones within the first 100 days.
6. Economy and tourism:
- Promote a creative economy for Bangkok with 12 festivals all year round.
- Find and promote the identities of each district to improve the economy.
- Organise suitable areas for street vendors and allow them access to funds and technology.
- Create the Made In Bangkok (MIB) brand with products produced by the people of Bangkok.
7. Green policy:
- Increase green public spaces so that they might be accessible within 15 minutes walk.
- Provide professional arborists to care for trees in the capital.
- Plant 1 million trees.
- Build air-purifying walls.
- Detection of vehicles that produce pollution and support the growth of EV ecosystems.
- Implement pet registration to reduce loss and neglect.
8. Crime reduction:
- Create a map displaying all areas at risk of crime and traffic jams.
- Establish command centres for convenient response to any type of accident.
9. Creativity:
- Change the old BMA City Hall into a city museum and public space.
- Organise outdoor exhibitions and street shows.
- Create a database of public and private areas that the people can use for events.
Sources: Youtube.com, suchatvee.org, thansettakij.com, posttoday.com, isranews.org, bangkokbiznews.com, pptvhd36.com and thestandard.co.
