Bangkok Joins Cross-Continental Panel to Boost Livability in the City

Bangkok enjoys a good reputation among expats and locals as a fairly livable city, but it’s undeniable that it needs some improvement to become a true international city. And now, Bangkok’s internal government won’t have to do it alone.

The city has joined an eight-city cooperation among the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to gain ideas on how to solve a few of Bangkok’s signature problems, including pollution and traffic-related issues.

Last Feb. 10, the Bangkok Creative City Dialogue brought together city representatives from the network to explore “collaborative projects, formulate development plans to improve people’s quality of life, attract investment and promote tourism,” according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Nine cities were in attendance, divided among cities of design, food, and craft. Bangkok, Bandung (Indonesia), Singapore, Asahikawa and Nagoya (Japan), and Seoul (South Korea) joined as part of the design panel. Representative of food cities are Kuching (Malaysia) and Phetchaburi (Thailand), while the sole city of craft is Perth (United Kingdom).

Deputy Bangkok Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon joined the discussion to express where the city is lacking. “We have good eateries and high-end residences throughout the city, but there are still poor communities, neighbourhoods suffering from floods after heavy rains and lack of comprehensive public transport,” he said.

“Bangkok is now liveable, but not for everyone,” said Governor Sanon, while adding, “These are the challenges faced by Bangkok that require cooperation, manpower, and upgrades in both hardware and software.”

The Thai capital was awarded the Creative City of Design title back in October 2022. The recent panel is part of Bangkok’s responsibilities as a UCCN member.