“Mom Korn” campaigns in Khlong Toei slum, pointing out a large gap in primary healthcare and the loss of skilled personnel due to brain drain.
On 16 June 2026, in Khlong Toei community, Khlong Toei district, Bangkok, Mom Luang Korakasiwat Kasemsri, candidate number 1 for Bangkok governor, walked through the area to meet residents, introduce himself, and present his policies. The atmosphere was warm as he greeted and chatted informally with elderly residents at their homes and local shops, listening attentively to their urgent concerns.
After the visit, Mom Luang Korakasiwat expressed deep concern about the living conditions of the elderly, bedridden patients, and many disabled people in Khlong Toei community who still lack adequate access to healthcare. Although Bangkok is often called a “Smart City,” these vulnerable groups cannot fully access telemedicine services via video calls. This clearly reveals a significant gap in Bangkok’s primary healthcare system that urgently needs fixing.
He stated that the root cause is Bangkok’s budget allocation in recent years, which has focused heavily on mega infrastructure and building projects while neglecting investment in primary healthcare personnel. As a result, community doctors and nurses receive insufficient welfare and compensation, leading to mass resignations and staff shortages. With fewer personnel, proactive community patient care suffers accordingly.
To solve this sustainably, Mom Luang Korakasiwat announced three urgent policies to upgrade Bangkok’s health centers and warm community clinics by reforming the budget structure. He plans to reduce unnecessary building budgets and reallocate those funds to improve welfare, compensation, and career advancement for primary healthcare workers, aiming to stop brain drain and resolve staff shortages.
He also aims to increase the number of Bangkok health volunteers (อสส.) to cover every alley, enhancing their skills and providing necessary tools. He will promote telemedicine via video calls to ensure bedridden and disabled patients receive care at home. Moreover, he plans to integrate traditional Thai medicine and alternative treatments into health centers and community clinics to support physical rehabilitation and elderly care, thereby reducing the heavy workload on conventional doctors.
“If entrusted by the people to serve as Bangkok governor, I will ensure your tax money is used directly to improve citizens’ quality of life. We will take care of medical personnel and provide all Bangkok residents with equal access to quality healthcare. I believe it is time to reset Bangkok’s primary healthcare system, and I am ready to act immediately if given the opportunity,” Mom Luang Korakasiwat emphasized in closing.