Chadchart campaigns in Yannawa, promoting a comprehensive policy to improve the quality of life for the elderly with the slogan "Not lonely, not sick, have income." He aims to increase the number of elderly caregivers to 5,000 throughout Bangkok and advance proactive PM 2.5 dust control year-round.
On 12 June 2026, Chadchart Sittipunt, candidate for Bangkok governor number 9, visited the Elderly School in Yannawa District to meet with residents and present policies preparing Bangkok for a fully aged society. He noted that the elderly population in Bangkok now accounts for 21%, higher than the national average, especially in inner districts like Phra Nakhon and Samphanthawong, where it reaches 35%, entering a super-aged society status. Therefore, Bangkok must shift perspectives and policies to avoid viewing the elderly as a burden, focusing on three main care principles: physical health, mental health, and economic well-being.
Regarding health, Chadchart revealed plans to develop Bang Khun Thian Elderly Hospital into a comprehensive elderly care center and a model for expansion. This will be accompanied by increasing elderly clinics in all hospitals and health service centers citywide. For bedridden patients or those with excretion difficulties, Bangkok has partnered with the National Health Security Office to provide an average of 20,000 free adult diapers monthly. The goal is also to increase elderly caregivers (Caregivers) to 5,000 across Bangkok.
Additionally, the policy includes expanding 100,000 hospital beds by using patients’ homes as nursing beds, with medical teams visiting for check-ups. Currently, Bangkok has a GPS-based database system that effectively and accurately monitors over 6,000 bedridden patients.
For mental health care, the focus is on increasing spaces and activities for the elderly to socialize. Plans include expanding Elderly Schools from the current 14 to cover all 50 districts, in cooperation with the private sector. Budget allocations will support community activities such as aerobics, Tai Chi, yoga, and singing. There is also a target to expand the "Elderly Clubs" network from 490 to 1,000 within four years, capable of caring for at least 100,000 seniors.
On economic and income aspects, Chadchart emphasized that Bangkok will not rely solely on cash handouts but will create opportunities and spaces for capable seniors. A platform system will be developed to collect elderly skills (e.g., plumbing, electrical work, childcare, sewing) to match local employment demands such as condominiums or villages, aiming to create at least 10,000 jobs. Collaboration with the private sector to employ the elderly will be pursued alongside vocational training courses, both online and offline, to provide income and foster self-worth among seniors.
Beyond elderly issues, Chadchart also addressed progress in tackling PM 2.5 dust. He stated that Bangkok is on the right track, with pollution levels down 45% compared to last year. Next steps focus on source control, especially regulating black smoke standards from vehicles, expanding low emission zones to cover pickup trucks and non-standard cars, and increasing work-from-home arrangements during dust crises to 500,000 people. There will also be campaigns promoting oil and filter changes for vehicles.
Regarding biomass burning outside the city, Bangkok has integrated cooperation with nearby provinces such as Nakhon Nayok and Prachinburi to ask farmers to delay burning during Bangkok's crisis periods. Scientific methods are applied through collaboration with Kasetsart University, installing an air quality monitoring and dust source analysis station (Super Station) valued at nearly 100 million baht to precisely identify daily dust sources. Chadchart concluded by emphasizing that fighting PM 2.5 dust is not just a seasonal effort but a continuous mission requiring year-round preparation and action.