Bangkok governor to explain his policies, first six months at BMA

The display will run from today till Sunday. A box will be provided for comments from visitors, and Sukhumbhand will explain his |policies on the economy, security, the environment, education, healthcare and reducing traffic woes.

On Wednesday, he had been in office for six months.

In a poll last month to mark his first 150 days in office, city residents gave him an average score of 4.88 out of 10 in a performance evaluation.

"Our projects met the goals we had set, especially mass transit projects. The On Nut-Baring extension BTS Skytrain route will be available even earlier than expected," he told Nation TV yesterday.

He also updated information about projects initiated during the past six months.

"We will hand out two million face masks to passengers travelling by BTS Skytrain, MRT subway and public buses to protect them from type-A(H1N1). The BMA was the first government agency with such flu protection measures since the infection outbreak in Mexico in April We gave people in Bangkok face masks and educated them on how to protect themselves from being infected," he said.

Sukhumbhand said he had increased vendor trading by holding cheap-goods fairs, expanded Chatuchak weekend market, offered Bangkokians low interest loans to run businesses - in which applicants' requests totalled Bt600 million, offered other low interest loans for BMA officials to buy or enlarge their residences and pay back debts from loan sharks.

"BMA also financed students studying at its 435 schools—Bt8,000 per head, higher than the government's support of Bt6,000 per head. Next academic year, the BMA will offer financial support of more than Bt9,000 per head while the government will offer Bt7,000. Schools will be given 20,500 computers; a computer available for every student," he said.

"Students will find study more enjoyable as the BMA joins hands with Microsoft to provide Multipoint Software. They will be able to use 100 computer mice at the same time with one computer for learning activities together. And 4,000 teachers taking care of pre-school students, who are currently untrained, will be taught how to look after students properly."

Sukhumbhand's health care projects include free health check-up fairs, the building of two hospitals in Bang Khuntien and Don Muang districts, and focusing on serving seniors.

He also backed the use of waste incinerators to burn garbage instead of using landfills. They are expected to burn 1,500 tonnes of garbage a day.

"We'll make our mass transit projects available for people as soon as possible - like BTS Skytrain extension routes. I will try to extend more Bus Rapid Transit routes to ease traffic congestion.

"To celebrate His Majesty the King's 84th birthday, I will rush to improve in the next three years mass transit, effective garbage management and clean water in rivers and canals," Sukhumbhand said.