Bangkok: The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has unveiled an ambitious four-year plan for the Bangkok City Council, with the primary goal of ensuring a majority of council members are from the "Orange" (pro-democracy) party, thereby fostering a city that embraces its citizens.
According to Thai News Agency, the PDP's roadmap is crafted to transform the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) into a true representative body for the people. The party seeks public support to elect more than half of the council's candidates, a move seen as crucial in combating corruption, enhancing transparency, and ensuring value for money in managing the city's annual budget of over 100 billion baht. The party plans to address issues from the district level to BMA ordinances, aiming to create a more nurturing environment for Bangkok's citizens.
The roadmap includes several key initiatives. On the first day of the council's session, the PDP intends to submit the Safe Construction Ordinance and the Transparency Ordinance. Within the first 100 days, regulations promoting transparency will be passed, with measures such as broadcasting live meetings and disclosing voting and attendance records to allow citizens to scrutinize the BMA Council's work and budget.
Within six months, the plan includes passing safe construction regulations that mandate the disclosure of CCTV footage and private insurance policies at all construction sites, facilitating inspection of safety measures. Additionally, building control regulations will be enacted to address the renovation of old structures, disaster preparedness, and traffic congestion by requiring parking areas for buses, taxis, and tuk-tuks at busy buildings.
The PDP also aims to pass a BMA budget ordinance within six months to ensure transparency by requiring detailed project disclosures during the budget preparation process. Within a year, a public safety regulation will be legislated, obligating busy private establishments to install CCTV cameras connected to the BMA's War Room system to enhance crime prevention efforts.
The plan further includes a target to increase recycling rates from 20% to 35% within one year, with enforcement measures for large buildings and businesses to promote waste separation and recycling. A traceability system for operations will be established to manage various types of waste effectively.
Source: Thai News Agency