Bangkokians want a better city to live in

Nearly half a year has passed since MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra was elected as Bangkok governor, promising improvements to the urban environment. Yet many obvious tasks in raising the quality of life in the city still remain. Many of Bangkok's pedestrian walkways remains hazardous to those who use them on a daily basis to get from point A to B. Potholes of various size abound on sidewalks and roads.

Noise pollution from all kinds of sources appears to be on the rise. The cacophony is caused by everything from construction sites to loud music and promotional activities in department stores to noisy and intrusive advertisements on the BTS trains and station platforms.

Stray dogs continue to rule Bangkok's sois and pose a health hazard to residents. Their excrement makes city streets a hotbed of germ and diseases.

Air pollution remains as bad as ever. Recycling of garbage has simply become impossible. Green areas are as few and far between now as they were before Sukhumbhand took office.

Elderly people and the physically handicapped are still far from being properly served. Most of Bangkok's infrastructure and transport systems make their daily lives a real struggle.

More and more offices, shopping malls and condominiums are being constructed and yet there exists no legislature to ensure that even small areas of green space must be provided in front of buildings, unlike in some of the more advanced cities in other parts of the world.

These are but some of the very visible and basic problems facing the capital, and they can and should be tackled head on.

The fact that the current government is led by the Democrat Party, to which Sukhumbhand belongs, makes it even more convenient for the governor to push for real change and improvement if he wishes to. Yet we have seen and heard of little progress so far.

It is not too late for the governor to act. In doing so, he may well consider a new, creative and democratic way of tackling urban problems, such as making the process of addressing Bangkok's woes more participatory. Getting both local residents and businesses on board could help save the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority much time, money and manpower.

This process can start with public hearings on how best to tackle each of the problems and challenges. The process should allow all interested members of the public to take part in the task of improving the city by airing their grievances and making valuable suggestions instead of leaving them out as mere passive receivers of services from the BMA - or the lack thereof, for that matter.

To enable Bangkokians to have a greater say and be more involved in any BMA-led project or initiative would not only make the most of the BMA's limited budget but also foster the notion of citizens' input in participatory democracy - something that is more necessary than ever in Bangkok.

Efforts to promote joint initiatives could then follow, and if some Bangkokians or private businesses or NGOs want to become more involved in urban revitalisation, then that is even more to the good.

Clear and achievable goals should be set to tackle Bangkok's many problems, and this should be done in a transparent manner so that each project can be followed by residents - both Thai and foreign alike. Press conferences should be held every three, or at least six, months to update Bangkokians about the current state of the city's infrastructure and the improvements that have been made.

To achieve this objective, a "Bangkok liveability index" that is both measurable and verifiable should be introduced, so city residents can monitor and assess the successes and failures. In coming up with such an initiative, the involvement of various experts in urban-related fields is needed.

All of this requires a more visible and hands-on governor. Sukhumbhand need not be a PR man, spending taxpayers' money on useless PR billboards like some of his predecessors have done. However, visibility, commitment, leadership and transparency are clearly needed, and the governor has so far failed to make these apparent.

The time to act is now, because many of Bangkok's problems cannot be solved overnight. For the governor to undertake this strong initiative and to enlist the assistance and participation of the public will also take time. Many Bangkokians who are suffering from poor infrastructure, services and management are tired of waiting for things to improve. Sukhumbhand has made his promises and he must not let Bangkokians down.

The governor must also make the most of his ties with the current government to benefit Bangkok. If he can live up to his promises, it will also be for the benefit of his own future political career.

Failing to do so, he will end up as another ex-Bangkok governor whom people hardly remember, and once again the city will have lost another opportunity to become a better and more liveable place.