"City Control Game" discussion. Three Bangkok governor candidates—Chadchart, Dr. Joe, and Anucha—debate the pros and cons, comparing the scenarios of having or not having their own councilors, to see which is better.
On 8 Jun 2026 GMT+7, Thairath TV Channel 32 and Thairath Online broadcast a special program. "City Control Game" program. A vision challenge for prospective Bangkok governor candidates to prove who can effectively solve the capital's problems, featuring in-depth discussions through challenging missions including a puzzle test of intellect, a city crisis tier list, and heart-testing questions for the governor candidates, hosted by Pa Toy and Kai Pongsakorn.
The governor candidates presenting their visions and problem-solving skills for Bangkok residents include Mr. Anucha Boopachaiyasi (Democrat Party), Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt (Independent), and Mr. Chaiwat Sathawarawijit (People's Party).
After the three prospective Bangkok governor candidates presented their visions, the program entered the segment with critical questions for the governor candidates. ." The pros and cons of having or not having their own councilors.
Mr. Chadchart Sittipunt, independent candidate for Bangkok governor, said that electing MPs who then choose the prime minister is a large assembly system, while Bangkok uses a system where the governor and councilors are elected separately, so it is not necessary for the governor to have their own councilors.
He explained that the governor handles major policies mandated by the people, while councilors manage laws and various local areas. Many cities worldwide, such as Tokyo, use this system where the governor has no personal councilors.
Over the past four years, he believes there has been effective checks and balances. The governor can work with all councilors, but it depends on whether the councilors can work with any governor.
Mr. Chaiwat Sathawarawijit, or "Dr. Joe," candidate for Bangkok governor from the People's Party, stated that councilors act as the voice of the people and develop their responsible districts. The city’s development policies and visions depend on the governor, and for the governor to successfully implement policies, support from councilors is essential.
Councilors are responsible for budget oversight, while the governor supports by providing full information to align efforts in the same direction.
Mr. Anucha Boopachaiyasi, Democrat Party candidate for Bangkok governor, said many media asked what he would do in the first 100 days. He replied that if there are enough Democrat governors and councilors in the Bangkok assembly, all five policy areas he mentioned could be implemented simultaneously from day one.
Because the policies have already been refined, councilors can see clearly from now on that working together means their visions and policies will align since they come from the same party. If conflicts arise, the party leader and national deputy leaders will oversee, making problem-solving easier. However, if there is an independent governor with councilors who do not support them, he believes it may no longer be within Bangkok’s authority to resolve such issues.