King Prajadhipok's Institute poll reveals that Bangkok residents choose a new governor based on honesty, transparency, and accountability, highlighting flooding as the biggest concern.
On 15 May 2026 GMT+7, King Prajadhipok's Institute released a survey titled “Voices of Bangkok Residents on Capital City Challenges and Desired Qualities in the New Governor.” The survey was conducted from 8 to 11 May 2026 GMT+7 among 1,600 Bangkok residents aged 18 and over, distributed across city districts.
When asked which quality they prioritize most in selecting a Bangkok governor, 28.2% wanted someone “honest, transparent, and accountable.” Close behind, 28.0% preferred a candidate with “clear and practical policies.”
Meanwhile, 16.7% sought a governor who “understands Bangkok residents' problems,” 8.9% valued “tangible achievements,” 4.0% preferred “management experience,” 3.6% wanted “fresh and modern ideas,” 3.0% chose someone who “can collaborate with various parties,” 1.7% favored a candidate from a “credible political party,” and 5.9% indicated “other” qualities.
Regarding the top three most important problems in Bangkok rated as “quite important to most important,” 74.3% identified “flooding and drainage issues,” followed by 73.3% highlighting “safety of life and property,” and 73.2% citing “PM2.5 pollution and air quality.” Additionally, 66.1% pointed to “traffic congestion and public transportation,” and 65.8% mentioned “waste management and city cleanliness.”
Examining by district zones, the “outer districts” regarded city problems as “quite important to most important” across nearly all issues, with 89.6% noting “flooding and drainage problems,” 87.8% “traffic congestion and public transport,” 85.9% “PM2.5 and air pollution,” 82.0% “safety of life and property,” and 74.2% “waste management and city cleanliness.”
The “middle districts” also viewed most problems as highly important: 86.3% cited “flooding and drainage,” 75.3% “PM2.5 and air pollution,” 73.4% “safety of life and property,” and 72.7% “traffic congestion and public transportation.”
In contrast, the “inner districts” had lower proportions rating problems as quite to most important in several areas, particularly traffic and public transport at 47.2%, and flooding at 54.4%. However, significant numbers still recognized issues with pollution, safety, and waste.
Furthermore, Bangkok residents identified “traffic congestion and transportation” as the most urgent issue for the new governor to address. When asked to select only one priority, 17.8% chose “traffic and public transport,” followed by 13.8% for PM2.5 pollution and air quality, 12.9% for safety of life and property, 12.3% for homelessness and vulnerable urban populations, and 12.1% for flooding and drainage.
