In a final candid reflection before his term ends, Chadchart graded himself a 5 and his team an 8, expressed gratitude to everyone, urged continued work for the people, and stressed six key points for the transition period: no complacency and maintaining neutrality in the upcoming Bangkok governor and council elections.
7 May 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, chaired the 5th meeting of Bangkok agency heads for 2026 at the Rattanakosin Room, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) City Hall (Giant Swing), Phra Nakhon district. This was the final meeting before his term ends on 21 May. Chadchart summarized lessons learned and issued key final directives as follows.
1. Performance evaluation and the core of working for the people. The governor thanked all personnel who have worked together over the past four years. Bangkok has many talented individuals, and public feedback indicates improvements, though not yet perfect. He gave himself a performance score of 5 but rated his team an 8, expressing gratitude to all who contributed and encouraging them to continue working for the public's highest benefit.
2. Managing the homeless and street vendors during the transition. Regarding the homeless, due to poor economic conditions possibly increasing their numbers, district offices are urged to continue efforts, inviting the homeless to the "Happy Home" shelter, which still has capacity for over 100 people. The approach focuses on understanding and reasoning rather than enforcement. Meanwhile, for street vendors, the existing strict policies must be upheld during the administrative transition. No one is allowed to claim that the new administration will permit vendors to return. Chadchart ordered municipal officers to increase inspections to maintain sidewalk orderliness.
3. Flood management and construction projects. Chadchart emphasized urgent review of recurrent flood areas during heavy rain, especially where construction projects occur. He ordered accelerated cleaning of pipes and canals and inspection of incomplete projects to prevent waterlogging and minimize public impact.
4. Protecting citizens' quality of life amid large-scale projects. The governor expressed concern about the wastewater treatment project in Thonburi, which affects residents with issues like mosquitoes, wastewater, and house damage. He instructed district directors to visit residents to alleviate hardships and directed the drainage office to strictly supervise contractors.
5. Rigorousness in registration and birth reporting of foreigners. Following recent reports of irregularities in birth registrations of foreigners in some districts, Chadchart instructed all districts to tighten procedures, avoid relying on individual discretion, and monitor unusually high birth registration figures to prevent lapses in duty.
6. Maintaining neutrality in the elections. Chadchart stressed the importance of strict neutrality among civil servants and personnel for the upcoming Bangkok governor and city council elections. He urged equal treatment of all candidates to build confidence in the electoral system, which will benefit Bangkok's long-term governance.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tosak Chotimongkol, Advisor to the Governor, reflected on the past four years, noting efforts to fulfill promises, especially regarding personnel advancement and promotion exams. He highlighted successful public participation decentralization and recommended using lessons from past strengths and weaknesses to improve further.
At the same time, Mr. Jakkapan Phiwngam, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, emphasized that permanent civil servants remain with the BMA until retirement, while political appointees serve four-year terms. Success depends on everyone performing their duties according to policies to maximize benefits for the public and civil servants themselves.
Mr. Wisanu Sapsomporn, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, reiterated the need not to fixate on individuals but to ensure continuous development. He called for collective efforts to build a system that endures beyond personnel changes, strengthening the city's ongoing progress.
Concluding, Associate Professor Tawida Kamolwech, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, expressed thanks to everyone and recalled Governor Chadchart's teaching to work as if serving only one term, to complete all tasks and build a strong system enabling staff to be self-reliant and improve. She added that even if her future role changes to being a citizen, she will remain a caring citizen who helps oversee the city through Traffy Fondue.