What do we expect from next city governor?

What do we expect from next city governor?

New Bangkok governor coming next year. (Bangkok Post file photo)
New Bangkok governor coming next year. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Next year, Bangkokians will have a newly elected governor. They deserve someone who has well-recognised professional experience in administration and management -- someone who can offer them a better quality of life and better urban development; the kind of living standards enjoyed by people in developed countries.

With the governor election expected to take place next year, media reports have revealed a number of potential candidates for the top city job. They include former transport minister and Pheu Thai Party member Chadchart Sittipunt, football club owner Nualphan Lamsam, and Phayao provincial governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn, who gained fame for his leading role in the Tham Luang cave rescue mission.

Other names are former Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang and his deputy Sakonthi Phattiyakul. More will likely soon emerge.

Bangkok has had various kinds of elected governor. Some have been politicians from certain political parties which maintained influence over them. Others, who were not under the banner of any party, still worked like politicians. The current governor is not elected, but appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order.

As time goes by, the city has seen development leap ahead. But do we still need the same kind of governor that we've had in the past? What do we expect from the next governor?

We don't want a city where the drains are clogged by garbage, causing floods whenever there is heavy rain and consequently nightmare traffic jams on the roads.

We also don't want construction projects that ignore safety standards and rules.

We don't want to breathe black, toxic smoke emitted by buses. And we don't want reckless bus drivers who compromise the safety of their passengers.

We don't want street vendors to take permanent control of footpaths and roadsides and turn them into their "shops", making public property smelly and dirty and forcing City Hall to spend money to prematurely repair it.

We don't want the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to spend its budget on overpriced procurements of items that are later not efficiently used, if they are used at all, such as fire trucks or garbage boats. These and other procurement projects did not undergo proper scrutiny in the past.

Bangkok is also a hotbed of dirty, fume-belching old buses.

Every day, city residents have to breath toxic air. It is worse for the urban poor who cannot afford to buy their own cars, or pay for air-conditioned bus and train services. They just have to put up with the black smog whenever they commute.

While trees can help absorb this toxic air, Bangkok is a city that is obsessed with cutting down trees rather than saving them to be the lungs of the city.

Moreover, the city is not safe for its residents. Crime is common. As the years have gone by, the crime rate in the capital has been increasing, while the nature of crimes has become more violent.

These are just some glaring facts about how unpleasant life is for Bangkokians. No wonder many question the quality of their lives.

In past years, Bangkok has been recognised as one of the world's most visited capitals -- coming in at the top of the list, alongside other metropolises in developed countries.

But then again, there comes the question of whether the city could have been better developed and managed. Do we not deserve a management team which has the expertise and capacity to maximise the city's potential, and who are politically independent?

It is not just the governor who runs the city. Bureaucrats at City Hall also play an important role. They are notorious for exerting their influence to get what they want. Whoever becomes the governor will have to adjust herself or himself once he or she takes charge of City Hall, in order to be able to compromise with these officials.

The city's legislative bodies are not ideal either. Elected members of the Bangkok city and district councils, who are tasked with making local laws and ordinances, have become politically polarised. Rarely can they find common ground, which results in a lack of unity.

Given these circumstances, the next Bangkok governor must be someone who is decisive and politically independent -- someone who is determined to use her or his power for the benefit of all Bangkokians.

After the the election, we hope to have a governor and a new management team who can bring about improvements to living standards and make Bangkok a more livable city for residents and visitors alike.


Nauvarat Suksamran is an assistant news editor, Bangkok Post.

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