Representatives of residents from the Rama II and Ekachai neighborhoods have filed a lawsuit against the Bangkok governor and urban planning agencies, requesting the revocation of the draft urban plan. They pointed out that the plan was developed without public participation and that expropriations were carried out without any hearing.
On 5 June 2026, at the Central Administrative Court on Chaeng Watthana Road, a group of over 10 affected residents living along Rama II and Ekachai Roads in Chom Thong and Bang Khun Thian districts, together with legal counsel from the Consumer Organizations Council, submitted a lawsuit against the Governor of Bangkok, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Urban Planning and Development Office, the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning under the Ministry of Interior, and the Bangkok Urban Planning Committee. They petitioned the Central Administrative Court to annul the fourth revision of the Bangkok Metropolitan Urban Plan, citing that the drafting process did not comply with legal requirements.
The plaintiffs stated that the planning process clearly violated Section 9 of the Town Planning Act B.E. 2562 (2019), which mandates genuine public participation in expressing opinions. In reality, the voices of those affected were ignored, severely impacting their rights to housing and daily life, particularly regarding infrastructure expansion plans affecting the Rama II community. Additionally, the group raised concerns about suspicious changes in zoning colors at several locations, suggesting these might create opportunities for certain business groups to gain benefits under the new zoning criteria.
Mr. Somphot Pathomnop, one of the resident representatives living in Supalai Village, Rama II, who is directly affected, revealed that the village was built and sold starting in 2016, and he moved in late 2017. However, by mid-2018, he was alarmed by news that parts of the village were to be expropriated for road construction under the new urban plan. Until then, no officials had approached residents for their opinions or held any public hearings to listen to grievances. He affirmed that their lawsuit against the Bangkok governor and related agencies carries no hidden political agenda but aims to protect legitimate rights. He hopes the new Bangkok governor will listen to the public’s concerns and promptly review and revoke the fourth revision of the urban plan to correct mistakes before further damage occurs.