The Orange Party's candidate for governor unveiled the "Simple Bangkok" vision, announcing a mega project to convert canals into a comprehensive travel and tourism network across the city.
On 8 May 2026, Mr. Chaiwat Stawarawijit, the People's Party candidate for Bangkok governor, presented his vision under the "Simple Bangkok" campaign, highlighting the challenges city residents face with the cost of living, transportation, and access to welfare. He aims to implement the "4 Simples" policy and have councilors in all 50 districts support improving citizens' quality of life and reclaiming time lost daily to urban difficulties.
Mr. Chaiwat explained that the People's Party focuses on solving structural issues by promoting a new Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act to shift governance powers to a Negative List model—"allowed to do anything except what is prohibited"—instead of the current Positive List system that restricts actions to only those explicitly authorized by law. This change would give Bangkok decisive authority over key matters, notably managing the universal 30-baht healthcare scheme through the city's health centers to resolve referral issues hindering residents, and enhancing public transportation on new routes where Bangkok currently underutilizes its power to provide bus services.
Regarding large-scale development, Mr. Chaiwat proposed "reviving canals across the city" by transforming the many existing canals into major transit routes linked to public transport. He plans to develop canal-side areas into tourist and community hubs to spread income throughout the city, rather than focusing solely on land-based development.
Additionally, Mr. Chaiwat emphasized urgent priorities if elected, including addressing the odor problem from the Onnut waste plant affecting over 400,000 residents—a direct responsibility of the Bangkok governor—and upgrading health service centers to serve as primary support points for universal healthcare cardholders, aiming to streamline access to medical services sustainably.