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Published on July 25, 2007

Traffic jams are still the problem most urgently needing attention, while the Skytrain network expansion drew the greatest anticipation.

The survey - conducted jointly by The Nation and the Bangkok Metropolitan Admi-nistration - collected responses from 871 people aged 21 to 61 living in Bangkok.

Some 41 per cent said they wanted the metropolis to have a decent environment and enhanced liveability, while 25 per cent wanted modern, convenient and rapid transportation.

As for problems calling for urgent attention, 58 per cent mentioned traffic, while 23 per cent noted security for people and property.

Almost 650 respondents thought highly of the Skytrain extensions - from On Nut to Soi Baring and Taksin to Bang Wa - which they believed should be continued. Looking back over the capital's development over the past three years, 520 respondents thought heat and air pollution had worsened, while 596 felt slums and vagrancy were the same. Only 262 could say flood-protection and drainage systems were better.

As for a strategic role, 33 per cent considered Bangkok as a centre of tourism, while 17 per cent viewed it as an economic and finance centre and 15 per cent believed it was a centre for IT and software technology.