Local government in Thailand
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
?????????????
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Seal of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
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Flag of Bangkok
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Type
| Special local authority organisation
of
Bangkok
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Term limits
| Governor limited to 2 consecutive terms, third term must be 4 years after second term
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Founded
| 13 December 1972
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Preceded by
| Bangkok Municipality
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Governor of Bangkok
| Chadchart Sittipunt
,
Independent
Since 22 May 2022
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Deputy Governors of Bangkok
| Since 1 June 2022
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Permanent Secretary for BMA
| Wantanee Wattana,
M.D.
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Chair
| Wirat Minchaiyanan,
Pheu Thai
Since 6 June 2022
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First Deputy Chair
| Chayada Wiphatphumiprathet, Pheu Thai
Since 6 June 2022
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Second Deputy Chair
| Amnat Panphueak,
Move Forward
Since 6 June 2022
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Seats
| 1 Governor and 50 Councillors
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Length of term
| Four years
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| First past the post
, whole of Bangkok
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| First past the post
, each district
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Last Governor of Bangkok election
| May 2022
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Last Bangkok Metropolitan Council election
| May 2022
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Next Governor of Bangkok election
| No later than 2026
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Next Bangkok Metropolitan Council election
| No later than 2026
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Airawat Patthana Building
Second Bangkok City Hall
Din Daeng
, Bangkok
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www
.bangkok
.go
.th
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The
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
(
Thai
:
?????????????
;
RTGS
:
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
) (BMA) is the local government of
Bangkok
(also called
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
in Thai), which includes the capital of the
Kingdom of Thailand
. The government is composed of two branches: the executive (or the Governor of Bangkok) and the legislative (or Bangkok Metropolitan Council). The administration's roles are to formulate and implement policies to manage Bangkok. Its purview includes transport services, urban planning, waste management, housing, roads and highways, security services, and the environment.
[1]
According to the Thailand Future Foundation, Bangkok employs a workforce of 97,000, including 3,200 municipal officers in Bangkok city, 200 in the city Law Enforcement Department, and 3,000 in district offices.
[2]
[3]
Departments
[
edit
]
BMA has 65 departments in total, 50 of which are departments respective to the 50 districts of Bangkok. The rest consist of: Strategy and Planning Department, Finance Department, Bureau of the Budget, Public Works Department, Drainage and Sewerage Department, Department of Social Development, Department of Environment, Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, Health Department, Bangkok Educational Office, Traffic and Transport Department, Department of Planning and Urban Development, Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and the Medical Services Department.
Department of Law Enforcement
[
edit
]
City Law Enforcement Department is the primary unit for overseeing security and orderliness of Bangkok with more than 3,000 quality personnel.
[4]
Which has 5 important tasks which are to organize the city, Security, Traffic supervision, Tourism Administration and other special missions. Responsible for overseeing, investigating, arresting, prosecuting and enforcing Bangkok Metropolis regulations and other laws within the jurisdiction of Bangkok including operations beyond the authority of the district office or in the case of serious danger to most people.
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation
[
edit
]
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation operates the city's fire and rescue services. The Bangkok City Council reported in February 2018 that, of Bangkok's 874 fire trucks, only 88 were in "good" condition. Another 340 were rated "only just usable", 232 were "dilapidated", and 225 were parked permanently. Firefighting boats were found to be in roughly the same shape: three of 31 vessels were ranked in "good" condition and 21 were out of service and permanently docked. The BMA's firefighting unit has not been allocated a vehicle maintenance budget for nearly 10 years.
[5]
The BMA employs 1,800 firefighters as of 2018
[update]
.
[6]
Department of Medical Services
[
edit
]
The Department of Medical Services operates 11 hospitals and is headquartered at
BMA General Hospital (Klang Hospital)
in
Pom Prap Sattru Phai District
. Other hospitals include
Taksin Hospital
,
Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital
,
Sirindhorn Hospital
, Lat Krabang Hospital, Luang Pho Taweesak Hospital, Wetchakarunrasm Hospital, Ratchaphiphat Hospital, Khlong Sam Wa Hospital, Bang Na Hospital and the Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital. The department also operates the Erawan Medical Centre for emergency medical services.
Department of Planning and Urban Development
[
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]
The Department of Planning and Urban Development are divided to Secretarial Office, Town Planning Office, Urban Development and Renewal Office, Geo-Informatics Office, Town Planning Control Division, Policy and Planning Division. The department has a duty to planning of the city including planning for the development of specific areas, planning for conservation Rehabilitation and planning for urban development and also an agency for controlling, promoting and inspecting the use of land and buildings.
[7]
Navamindradhiraj University
[
edit
]
BMA autonomously manages Navamindradhiraj University, of which the
Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital
and
Kuakarun Faculty of Nursing
are part.
Krungthep Thanakom
[
edit
]
Krungthep Thanakom Company Limited is the BMA's holding company for public investment projects such as the concession for the
BTS Skytrain
and a 20 billion baht underground cable project.
[8]
[9]
Budget
[
edit
]
Bangkok's FY2024 budget totals
?
90,570,138,630. Most of the budget goes to civil construction and maintenance projects.
Governor of Bangkok
[
edit
]
Governor of Bangkok
????????????
?????????????
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Seal of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
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Member of
| Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
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Reports to
| Minister of Interior
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Residence
| Bangkok City Hall
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Appointer
| Direct election
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Term length
| Four years,
renewable once consecutively
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Inaugural holder
| Chamnan Yaovabun
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Formation
| 1 January 1973
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Deputy
| Deputy Governor
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Salary
| ?
113,560 per month
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Website
| http://www.bangkok.go.th/
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The Governor of Bangkok (
Thai
:
?????????????????????????
,
RTGS
:
phu wa ratchakan krung thep maha nakhon
) is the head of the
local government
of
Bangkok
. The governor is also the chief executive of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The governor is elected to a renewable term of four years, currently it is one of the two directly elected
executive offices
in the kingdom. The office is comparable to that of a city
mayor
.
From 2016 to 2022 Pol Gen
Aswin Kwanmuang
acted as Governor of Bangkok.
[10]
He was appointed by Prime Minister
Prayut Chan-o-cha
using
Section 44 of the interim charter
to replace
Sukhumbhand Paribatra
. The reason given for his ouster was "...because he was involved in many legal cases."
[11]
The current incumbent is
Chadchart Sittipunt
. He was elected in a landslide victory in the
2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election
, receiving 52.65 % (1.38 Million) of all votes cast, marking a new record-high, and winning in all 50 districts of Bangkok.
[12]
[13]
Powers and roles
[
edit
]
The powers and role of the office of Governor of Bangkok in accordance with the
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act, BE 2528 (1985)
(
Thai
:
????????????????????????????????????????????? ?.?. 2528
are as follows:
- Formulate and implement policies for the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.
- Head the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
- Appoint and remove deputy governors, advisors, board members, city officials, and public servants.
- Coordinate and carry out the orders of the
Cabinet of Thailand
, the
Prime Minister of Thailand
, and the
Ministry of Interior
.
- Oversee the smooth running of the various agencies and services of the city.
- The governor is also invested with the same powers as any other governor of a
province of Thailand
and any other
mayor
.
- The power to draw up legislation and bills for the city, to be considered in the Bangkok Metropolitan Council.
History
[
edit
]
Since 1973, the city was administered by a single executive appointed by the
cabinet
from city
civil servants
. However soon, it was determined that the executive office should a popularly elected office instead. The passage of the
Bangkok Metropolis Administrative Organisation Act, BE 2518 (1975)
(
Thai
:
????????????????????????????????????????????? ?.?. 2518)
, created the Bangkok Metropolis to replace Bangkok Province and created an elected governor with a four-year term.
The first election for the office was held on the 10 August 1975.
Thammanoon Thien-ngern
was elected as the first Governor of Bangkok. Conflicts between the governor and the Bangkok Metropolitan Council, however, became so fierce that
Thanin Kraivichien
, the
Prime Minister of Thailand
removed him and reinstated the appointment system. Elections resumed with the passing of the
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act, BE 2528 (1985)
. Elections were held on 14 November 1985.
List of governors
[
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]
No.
|
Portrait
|
Name
(Birth?Death)
|
Term of office
|
Election
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Party
|
Took office
|
Left office
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1
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Chamnan Yaovabun
????? ????????
(1914?2015)
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1 January
1973
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22 October
1973
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?
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Independent
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2
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At Visutyothaphiban
???? ???????????????
(1915?2004)
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1 November
1973
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4 June
1974
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?
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Independent
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3
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Siri Santabutra
???? ?????????
(1912?2001)
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5 June
1974
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9 March
1975
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?
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Independent
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4
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Sai Hutacharoen
??? ?????????
|
5 May
1975
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9 August
1975
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?
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Independent
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5
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Thammanoon Thien-ngern
??????? ?????????
(1913?1989)
|
10 August
1975
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29 April
1977
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1975
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Democrat
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6
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Chalor Thammasiri
??? ????????
(1927?2021)
|
29 April
1977
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14 May
1979
|
?
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Independent
|
7
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Chaowat Sudlapa
????????? ???????
(1933?2001)
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4 July
1979
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16 April
1981
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?
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Independent
|
8
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Thiem Mokaranont
????? ????????
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28 April
1981
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1 November
1984
|
?
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Independent
|
9
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Asa Meksavan
???? ?????????
(born 1924)
|
6 November
1984
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13 November
1985
|
?
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Independent
|
10
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Chamlong Srimuang
????? ????????
(born 1935)
|
14 November
1985
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14 November
1989
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1985
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Independent
(until 1988)
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Palang Dharma
(from 1988)
|
7 January
1990
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22 January
1992
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1990
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11
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Krisda Arunvongse na Ayudhya
????? ???????? ? ??????
(1932?2010)
|
19 April
1992
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18 April
1996
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1992
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Palang Dharma
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12
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Bhichit Rattakul
?????? ???????
(born 1946)
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2 June
1996
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1 June
2000
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1996
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Independent
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13
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Samak Sundaravej
????? ????????
(1935?2009)
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23 July
2000
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22 July
2004
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2000
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Thai Citizen
(until 2001)
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Independent
(from 2001)
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14
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Apirak Kosayodhin
???????? ?????????
(born 1961)
|
29 August
2004
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28 August
2008
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2004
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Democrat
|
5 October
2008
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19 November
2008
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2008
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15
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Mom Rajawongse
Sukhumbhand Paribatra
[14]
??????????????????????? ???????
(born 1952)
|
11 January
2009
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9 January
2013
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2009
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Democrat
|
3 March
2013
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18 October
2016
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2013
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16
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Aswin Kwanmuang
?????? ?????????
(born 1951)
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18 October
2016
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24 March
2022
|
?
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Independent
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17
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Chadchart Sittipunt
??????? ???????????
(born 1966)
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22 May
2022
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Incumbent
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2022
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Independent
|
- Unless otherwise indicated, they were elected.
Bangkok Metropolitan Council
[
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]
The Bangkok Metropolitan Council or BMC (
Thai
:
????????????????)
is the legislative branch of the administration. It is vested with primary legislative powers as well as the power to scrutinize and advise the governor. The council is headed by the Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (
Thai
:
??????????????????????)
. The current chairman, since 2013, is Captain Kriangsak Lohachala.
The number of members depends on the size of Bangkok's population. One member represents one hundred thousand people. From 2010 to 2014 there were 61 members,
[15]
elected from 57 constituencies (some constituencies elect more than one member) in Bangkok. Each is elected to a four-year term.
The last election
was held on 22 May 2022. Currently there are 50 members, with
Pheu Thai
making up 20 seats,
Move Forward
14 seats, the
Democrat Party
9 seats, Rak Krungthep 3 seats,
Phalang Pracharat
2 seats and Thai Srang Thai another 2 seats.
[16]
Committees
[
edit
]
The council is divided into 11 general committees with five to nine members appointed by the councillors themselves:
- Committee of Cleanliness and Environment
- Committee for Checking the Minutes of Sittings and for Considering Closure of the Minutes of the Secret Sittings
- Committee for the Affairs of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council
- Committee for the Public Works and Utilities
- Committee for Education and Culture
- Committee for Health
- Committee for Community Development and Social Welfare
- Committee for Local Administration and Orderliness
- Committee for Economics, Finance, and Follow-up of Budget Utilization
- Committee for Tourism and Sports
- Committee for Traffic, Transportation, and Drainage
Secretariat of the council
[
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]
The Secretariat of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (
Thai
:
?????????????????????????????????)
is the executive agency of the council. The secretariat helps the council in all its roles including drafting of legislation, organisation of sessions, minutes and procedures of the council. The secretariat also helps members of the council by providing research and legal counsel. The secretariat is headed by the Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Council (
Thai
:
?????????????????????????)
The current secretary is
Manit Tej-Apichok
. The secretariat itself is divided into nine sections:
- General Administration Section
- Council and Committee Meetings Section
- Working Committees Section
- Legislation Section
- Legal Section
- Foreign Affairs Section
- Council Service Section
- Academic Section
- Secretary Section
Criticism
[
edit
]
The
Bangkok Post
has made the point that, although the city suffers from the "worst
traffic congestion
in the world after Mexico City", 37 disparate agencies are responsible for traffic management, planning, and infrastructure. It maintains that the city government panders to personal automobile use. As evidence, it points to the city's plans to construct four new bridges across the
Chao Phraya River
, its runaway
air pollution
, its lack of green space?less than that of any other Asian capital?and its "...obsession with felling trees along Bangkok streets."
[17]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
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Phra Nakhon side
(Bangkok core side)
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Thon Buri side
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